Permanent bans in NASCAR are like a black flag that sticks, rare, but when they drop, they end careers in a heartbeat. In 1970, Henry “ Smokey ” Yunick, the rule-bending genius behind oversized fuel lines and aero tricks, got indefinitely suspended after clashing with inspectors one too many times. It was a fitting end for a man who lived to push boundaries, but it sidelined him for good.

Tim Richmond’s 1988 ban was darker. NASCAR cited substance policy violations, but Richmond called it a botched handling of his AIDS diagnosis, a controversy that shadowed the sport. Jeremy Mayfield’s 2009 lifetime suspension for methamphetamine, a claim he still fights, cost him millions and his livelihood. Kevin Harvick danced close to that edge early on, and years later, he’s owning up to how close h

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