Cody Ware reinstated by NASCAR after assault charges dismissed

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STATESVILLE, N.C. — NASCAR has reinstated Cup Series driver Cody Ware, who was suspended in April following an altercation with his then-girlfriend.

The sanctioning body lifted the suspension four days after assault charges against Ware and his then-girlfriend were dismissed as they both decided not to cooperate with prosecutors.

Ware was arrested a week following their April 3 altercation on charges of assault by strangulation and assault causing serious injury. His girlfriend (now ex-girlfriend) was charged with simple assault in September.

The charges for both were dropped Thursday by the Iredell County district attorney’s office. The dismissal filings in both cases indicate prosecutors couldn’t proceed without their testimony. They also indicate that civil litigation — Ware’s family and Rick Ware Racing team had filed two civil suits against Ware’s former girlfriend — will be dismissed.

NASCAR indefinitely suspended Ware on April 10 after he was charged. It announced his reinstatement Tuesday afternoon.

“I’ve maintained my innocence from the very beginning, even as there was a rush to judgment by others,” Ware said in a statement. “I’m glad this entire matter is behind me because it’s been an incredibly difficult eight months. With all of the allegations being dismissed, I’m thankful to have my life back.”

Warrants for his arrest claimed that Ware pushed his girlfriend to the floor, slapped her in the face, wrapped his hands on her neck, threw a phone at her and threatened to kill her. The warrants stated that she had redness and soreness around her neck and a broken right hand.

His girlfriend’s arrest warrant alleged she repeatedly hit Ware in the face and head and that is what broke her hand.

Rick Ware Racing and Rick Ware, individually, filed lawsuits in November against Ware’s girlfriend, claiming she made false statements to police to harm Ware and the team. The lawsuit claims the April 3 incident began when Ware’s girlfriend was angry with Ware because he was not wearing his promise ring on the correct finger.

They allege she called the police and “made statements to the police and others that were not true” so that Ware’s career and the team would be affected. 

The team lawsuit claims that because of the arrest, the team lost $3.5 million in sponsorship, including that from Biohaven, which was signed through 2024. The team also claims that it spent more than $300,000 on drivers to replace Ware. The lawsuits did not specify the amount of dollars sought in damages.

The 28-year-old Ware, who over the past few years has been open about his mental health battles with anxiety and depression, has one top-10 in 97 career Cup starts. 

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.

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