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Sprint Cup car stolen from hotel; owner in legal trouble
Last edited Tue Mar 17, 2015, 02:35 AM - Edit history (1)
ESPN: HAMPTON, Ga. -- Travis Kvapil is without a race car for the Sprint Cup Series race this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway as authorities are investigating the Friday morning theft of the Team Xtreme No. 44 car from a hotel parking lot in Morrow, Georgia.
Video obtained by police shows that the incident happened at 5:34 a.m. in the parking lot of the Drury Inn. Sgt. Larry Oglesby of the Morrow Police Department told ESPN.com that the incident was reported at 5:50 a.m. and that they are treating the car's disappearance as a stolen vehicle.
Team Xtreme Racing owner John Cohen, who was not at the track, told ESPN.com by phone that the team will have to withdraw from Sunday's race...
Video obtained by police shows that the incident happened at 5:34 a.m. in the parking lot of the Drury Inn. Sgt. Larry Oglesby of the Morrow Police Department told ESPN.com that the incident was reported at 5:50 a.m. and that they are treating the car's disappearance as a stolen vehicle.
Team Xtreme Racing owner John Cohen, who was not at the track, told ESPN.com by phone that the team will have to withdraw from Sunday's race...
It looks like this...
Is Morrow GA close to Atlanta? My sister lives there, she's just announced her retirement, and she hasn't announced what her future plans are...
rocktivity
15 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
that eliminates my sister as a suspect -- whew!
rocktivity
Pearls allegedly fake.
http://www.tmz.com/2015/02/27/lupita-nyongo-dress-found-stolen-oscars-gown-pearls-fake-video/
rocktivity
How far can it really get without a pit crew?
Last edited Sat Feb 28, 2015, 01:06 PM - Edit history (1)
Team owner John Cohen tells TMZ Sports, "Last night I was thinking, I should tell them to block the truck off (with another vehicle). But I didn't say anything, and it got stolen." He says he doesn't think the crooks even knew what they were stealing since there are no identifying marks on the trailer.
http://www.tmz.com/2015/02/27/nascar-stolen-car-video-travis-kvapil-44-hotel-camera-thieves/
rocktivity
I thought they were torn down to the core block and rebuilt just like the 70 year old Packard V-12 Merlin engines used in boat racing.
Juxtaposition, I understand Top Fuel dragster engines have a life expectancy of around 6 seconds. 
Last edited Tue Mar 17, 2015, 04:57 PM - Edit history (3)
NJ.com, 3/12 AM: John Cohen, the NASCAR owner...who made national headlines when his race car was stolen last month from a motel parking lot, is now facing...(a) bench warrant...for failing to comply with an order related to a settlement on a civil lawsuit...(I)n August 2014...(it) required that Cohen immediately pay two former business partners $55,000 after a dispute over an investment in a Manhattan night club that fell apart.
Cohen, reached on his cell phone...denied any wrongdoing. "It's a story that's not true," he said. "I didn't make the settlement." When asked specifically about the warrant, he replied, "That's not me. That's my father. That has nothing to do with me." He referred other questions to his lawyer, who could not be immediately reached...
Anthony Santucci and Jeff Rezink entered a business agreement with Cohen to open a night club in Manhattan that was contingent on Cohen securing a liquor license. The two men...invested $85,000 that Cohen never used for the club and never returned. "He obviously just pocketed the money," Santucci said..."We believe he used the money to fund his NASCAR team."
...Cohen's three years as a NASCAR owner portray a great deal of instability...multiple drivers, a change in the team name, and even a need to solicit potential sponsors through social media...
Cohen, reached on his cell phone...denied any wrongdoing. "It's a story that's not true," he said. "I didn't make the settlement." When asked specifically about the warrant, he replied, "That's not me. That's my father. That has nothing to do with me." He referred other questions to his lawyer, who could not be immediately reached...
Anthony Santucci and Jeff Rezink entered a business agreement with Cohen to open a night club in Manhattan that was contingent on Cohen securing a liquor license. The two men...invested $85,000 that Cohen never used for the club and never returned. "He obviously just pocketed the money," Santucci said..."We believe he used the money to fund his NASCAR team."
...Cohen's three years as a NASCAR owner portray a great deal of instability...multiple drivers, a change in the team name, and even a need to solicit potential sponsors through social media...
Sounds like a man hurting for money -- so much so that maybe he couldn't afford to BE in that race last month, never mind lose it?
NJ.com, 3/12 PM: Cohen told USA Today..."The bench warrant was issued because it seems like I wasn't responding to (court documents), which I wasn't getting any information about," he said, according to the newspaper's website. "Everything was being sent to an address I wasn't living at." But...Cohen's own attorney...and a paralegal in her office attempted to contact him...via email, certified mail and over the phone...(The attorney), who did not return multiple phone calls on Thursday, is asking the court to be relieved as counsel for Cohen...
Sounds like he can't afford to pay his legal bills, either. NASCAR had better stop his engines...they don't need an Al Sharpton on wheels.
rocktivity
Last edited Fri Sep 18, 2015, 03:52 PM - Edit history (8)
NBC Sports.com 3/10: An arrest warrant has been issued in the theft of Team Xtreme’s No. 44 NASCAR Sprint Cup car, which was stolen from a hotel parking lot Feb. 27. (T)he warrant was issued Friday (March 6)...(T)he warrant was for a person of interest in the case who declined to be interviewed by police...(Police have)...talked to the person’s attorney...
...The pickup truck was discovered in Stockbridge, Ga., while the stock car was found in Loganville, Ga. The trailer...a spare race engine and various tools...remain missing.
...The pickup truck was discovered in Stockbridge, Ga., while the stock car was found in Loganville, Ga. The trailer...a spare race engine and various tools...remain missing.
Jayski.com: A spokesperson for John Cohen stated, "This civil matter has been on-going for several years and is not connected in any way to his NASCAR team and does not jeopardize or impede the functionality of Team Xtreme Racing. Court documents allege the diversion of funds for Mr. Cohen's race team in 2010 when, in fact, the team did not compete during that season. The bench warrant was a summons by the court for Mr. Cohen to appear before a judge and offer testimony. An additional statement regarding this matter will be forthcoming through Mr. Cohen's attorney."
NBC Sports.com 3/15: Team Xtreme car owner John Cohen...said he’s tried to settle the matter for three years, and that he has a new lawyer handling the case. “...I offered $50,000, which is the only money I received,’’ Cohen told NASCAR Talk in the Sprint Cup garage Friday at Phoenix International Raceway.
The warrant states that Cohen failed to abide by a Aug. 2014 court order...from a civil lawsuit settlement that he repay two business partners $55,000 from a failed Manhattan night club venture. An attorney representing the investors...(says) he has begun the process of placing a lien on Cohen’s assets for repayment and said “if (Cohen) doesn’t pay the judgment, then I’ll start the process of seizing assists, including the car.’’ Cohen’s response: “No way. If you look at the initial complaint, it had nothing to do with the race team..."
...Brandon Davis and Swan Racing...allege that in agreement to taking the car owner points from the No. 30 team in 2014, Cohen’s team would pay $200,000....in...monthly...payments equal to 10 percent of the prize money earned by the car in Cup races. (But) after running the No. 30 car in one race...(Cohen's) team changed the car number to No. 44 and failed to pay what it owed...Cohen said: “...I didn’t know that (Swan) owed to a lot of money to a lot of people and I was getting lawsuits from different people, so I backed out of one of the deals we had.’’
...Cohen said he’s made NASCAR aware of the matter. “I contacted them, but it’s not a criminal case,’’ he said. “No crime has been committed.’’
The warrant states that Cohen failed to abide by a Aug. 2014 court order...from a civil lawsuit settlement that he repay two business partners $55,000 from a failed Manhattan night club venture. An attorney representing the investors...(says) he has begun the process of placing a lien on Cohen’s assets for repayment and said “if (Cohen) doesn’t pay the judgment, then I’ll start the process of seizing assists, including the car.’’ Cohen’s response: “No way. If you look at the initial complaint, it had nothing to do with the race team..."
...Brandon Davis and Swan Racing...allege that in agreement to taking the car owner points from the No. 30 team in 2014, Cohen’s team would pay $200,000....in...monthly...payments equal to 10 percent of the prize money earned by the car in Cup races. (But) after running the No. 30 car in one race...(Cohen's) team changed the car number to No. 44 and failed to pay what it owed...Cohen said: “...I didn’t know that (Swan) owed to a lot of money to a lot of people and I was getting lawsuits from different people, so I backed out of one of the deals we had.’’
...Cohen said he’s made NASCAR aware of the matter. “I contacted them, but it’s not a criminal case,’’ he said. “No crime has been committed.’’
Neither the investors nor the court would accept the $50K he offered; he shouldn't have his assets seized because he earned them outside of the business he got sued over; the court issued the warrant just to pass the time; and he stopped paying for the car owner points but didn't return them because the other party was too deeply in debt!
No crime has been committed -- except ignoring a court order to pay the settlement. NASCAR should tell Cohen that he's out until he gets matters straightened out: If he were any greasier, he could give his cars lube jobs just by waving at them! All together now:
rocktivity
