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| Mike Harmon |
Nationwide Series NASCAR driver Mike Harmon turned himself in to police after arrest warrants were issued for him and his business partner David Novak. According to investigators the pair were wanted in connection with the theft of a competitors race cars. Harmon turned himself in to Cleveland County authorities Monday and posted a $10,000 bond.
WBTV 14 was on the scene as deputies recovered two cars and five trucks from Harmon's garages in May. Authorities say Harmon stole the cars from racer Jennifer Jo Cobb at the end of last year. Harmon was arrested in May in a separate incident involving Cobb. Harmon is charged with braking into Cobb's Mooresville headquarters and stealing her hauler to transport cars and trucks.
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| Jennifer Jo Cobb (AP Photo) |
In a story right out of the NASCAR Harlequin Romance series (yes those do exist CLICK HERE) it turns out that Novak was romantically involved with Jennifer Jo Cobb and was some form of partner in her racing team. Novak and Cobb never had a business agreement, and Novak alleges that he was supporting much of her racing career. Now that their personal relationship as cooled (ending both professionally and personally in late 2012) they are in a legal dispute in U.S. District Court in North Carolina over who the race equipment and how $237,618 in team funds were spent.
The legal disputes started when Cobb reported her race team hauler stolen prior to the May 17 race at Charlotte, a crime that Harmon is also charged with. According to Novak while he was with Cobb he spent over $1 million supporting the team. A judge in February denied Novak's request to have the racing equipment returned, until a determination could be made as to his claims.
This is where it appears that Harmon and Novak took the law into their own hands, both are facing felony charges over the theft of the hauler. While not admitting to taking the hauler they admitted to authorities that they knew where it was, but would not tell them if the hualer was going to be returned to Cobb.
Haromon and Novak maintain their innocence “The truth has got to come out (on who stole it),” Harmon said. “It’s not me.”
So far NASCAR has not taken any action against the drivers.
Image Credit: Chuck Burton/AP
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