next year

After days of indecision, NASCAR disciplined seven people who participated in the attack of young racing star Corey Heim in front of a concession stand at Martinsville Speedway shortly after the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 on Saturday.

Major penalties and suspensions were issued to team owner Chad Bryant and crew member Steve Civatarese. Both are suspended indefinitely from NASCAR events — including next year’s ValleyStar Credit Union 300 — and are also on probation for a year.

Additionally, Bryant was fined $2,000 and must attend a NASCAR-approved anger management program. Civatarese was fined $1,000. Ryden Lapcevich, the younger brother of Bryant driver Treyten Lapcevich, was fined $500 and placed on probation through Dec. 31, 2027.

NASCAR said in a release that Bryant, Civatarese and Ryden Lapcevich violated Sections 12-6.1C & 12-6.1C2 of the NASCAR Rule Book, which pertains to member-to-member confrontations with physical violence.

Four others from the Bryant pit crew were also fined and put on probation because of their participation in a separate altercation after the conclusion of the second heat race at Martinsville.

The disciplinary action comes after NASCAR was criticized on social media by racing fans who wondered if the governing body would ignore the beating of Heim that was widely distributed online. NASCAR posted its own video of the confrontation.

Heim, 24, often races cars for 23XI Racing, owned by Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan, and will drive for the team full-time next year. During his podcast “Actions Detrimental” on Monday, Hamlin called Bryant and his team “cowards.”

“Just complete classlessness from Chad Bryant, the owner, and his team to wait on Corey,” Hamlin said. “Listen to what they did. Those [expletive] cowards waited on Corey Heim to leave his car and leave his team, and then jump him while he was on the way to his hauler.”

The attack in front of a hot dog stand in the pit area was triggered by an accident shortly after the checkered flag involving Heim and Treyten Lapcevich, who was driving Chad Bryant Racing’s No. 77. After the pair aggressively jousted for runner-up during the final laps, Lapcevich drove into Heim’s right side during the cool-down lap. Heim responded by sending his car over the front of Lapcevich’s car, causing a wreck that destroyed both cars.

Lapcevich tried to confront Heim after the race but was held back by Bryant, who instead brought six team members to do so violently. Lapcevich issued a statement Tuesday condemning the actions of his racing team.

“What happened with Corey after the race was wrong, and it should not have happened,” Lapcevich said. “While I was not involved in the incident, I want to be clear that I do not condone any action that took place.

“Emotions can run high after a race, and I was certainly frustrated and upset following Saturday night. I planned on having a conversation with Corey following the race. However, there is a clear line between being angry about what happens on the racetrack and allowing that frustration to become physical. What happened after the race for sure crossed that line.”

Hamlin called for discipline on his podcast and got plenty of support from fans on social media.

“I don’t know who’s in charge of NASCAR Regional, but there is absolutely no way that any of those guys should be in a pit lane for the next year, at least,” Hamlin said. “And I want them to say publicly what they do to them. And if it’s nothing, I will have a major problem. But none of those cowards should be in a pit lane in the foreseeable future.”

Heim seemed to downplay the incident. He posted a selfie with a thumbs-up and a caption that read, “Solid effort, but at least make it count next time.” He also posted the hot dog stand menu — which was dented by an errant punch during the fight — saying “New office piece. Poor thing took a beating this weekend.”

Pit crew members punished for the separate altercation included Dylan Jenks and Ryan Burrow, who each were fined $500 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31, 2027. In addition, Brad Housewright and Chase Burrow were each fined $250 and placed on the same probation.

Heim, a rising star who won NASCAR Cup Series events at Naval Base Coronado and Indianapolis Motor Speedway this season and is the reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, was driving the No. 22 for Nelson Motorsports.

Did Justin Bieber perform at problem-plagued MacArthur Park? Never say never.

An impersonator may have tricked a Las Vegas nightclub last year, but those at the park Tuesday appeared convinced of their brush with Bieber. L.A. County’s district attorney was too.

According to social media posts, the singer and a few band members set up on a grass lawn near a Central American fried chicken shop on 6th Street. He reportedly performed several songs, including the 2025 hit “Yukon.”

L.A. County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman on Tuesday night pointed to the “Yukon” clip as proof that park conditions were improving.

L.A. D.A. Nathan Hochman, center left, walks with First Assistant U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli on June 4 as L.A. police and federal agents conduct an operation targeting narcotics use at MacArthur Park.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Bieber’s performance, he said in a post on X, was a “testament to the progress we are achieving to take back the park from drug dealers and enliven it for families.”

“[He’s] definitely on the invite list for next year’s Labor Day weekend picnic!” Hochman said.

The Times reached out to Bieber’s representatives to confirm the pop singer’s appearance but did not immediately hear back.

The pop star has been leaning in to more intimate performances, notably appearing on the Grammys for a stripped-down rendition of “Yukon” (while wearing boxers and black socks).

In April, he made his Coachella headlining debut, playing a nearly 90-minute set. For a large portion of the set, he took Beliebers — as his fans are known — down memory lane, sitting behind a laptop and singing along to his old music videos.

LONDON — Ireland will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest for a second year over Israel’s participation, the country’s national broadcaster said Thursday.

RTÉ said it will not send an act to the 2027 competition in Bulgaria and will not broadcast the show because of the “appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk.”

Ireland was one of five countries — along with the Netherlands, Iceland, Slovenia and Spain — to skip Eurovision this year to protest Israel’s inclusion in the pan-continental music contest.

Eurovision Director Martin Green said organizers regretted RTÉ’s decision but “fully respect” it.

“All broadcasters decide on an annual basis to participate in the following year’s contest. We will remain in dialogue with RTÉ and hope to welcome them back to the contest in the future,” Green said.

Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS announced last month it will also boycott next year, calling Eurovision a “platform for division.”

“AVROTROS will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027 because the event can no longer be considered neutral, with a participating country still involved in a large-scale military conflict,” it said.

Next year’s competition is due to take place in Bulgaria’s Black Sea resort of Burgas in May, after Bulgarian singer Dara won the 2026 event with her infectious party anthem “Bangaranga.”

The contest was founded in 1956, in part to help unite a shattered continent after World War II. It pits acts from dozens of countries against one another for the continent’s musical crown.

Israel has taken part in Eurovision since 1973, one of a few non-European countries to compete. But calls for Israel to be kicked out have swelled over the conduct of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza.

The 2024 Eurovision contest in Malmo, Sweden, the 2025 in Basel, Switzerland and this year’s contest in Vienna saw pro-Palestinian protests and heightened security.