The owner of the popular NASCAR Racing Experience has been charged with aggravated assault and strangulation in Nashville.
Bob Lutz, who is also the President and CEO of both the Richard Petty Driving Experience and Driving 101, LLC, was arrested at 3:30 AM on Saturday at a hotel in downtown Nashville.
According to an affidavit from the Metro Nashville Police Department, Lutz allegedly got into an argument with a woman he had been dating for about six months when the altercation turned physical and he put both of his hands around her neck and began choking her.
The alleged victim told police that she couldn’t breathe while Lutz choked her for approximately a minute, and when police arrived they noticed redness on her throat and a raspy voice consistent with strangulation injuries.
Lutz is the former owner of the now-defunct Myrtle Beach Speedway, which hosted Cup Series races from from 1958 through 1965 and then-Busch Series (now Xfinity Series) races from 1988-2000.
NASCAR fans are also likely familiar with Lutz through his popular driving experiences, the NASCAR Racing Experience and the Richard Petty Driving Experience, which allow fans to suit up and hop into a real NASCAR racecar to drive or ride along for some laps around the track.
Lutz is also the President and CEO of Drive 101, LLC, which owns both the Richard Petty Driving Experience and the Mario Andretti Racing Experience, which is the same concept as the other driving experiences but with IndyCar racecars.
The sport held its annual Champions Week festivities in Nashville this past week, celebrating the champions of each of NASCAR’s top three series.
After his arrest, Lutz was released on a $25,000 bail and is scheduled to appear back in court on January 25 at 8:30 AM.
