Carson Hocevar just can’t seem to stay out of the headlines.
Of course that’s not always a bad thing for the second-year NASCAR Cup Series driver. He’s turned heads this season with a pair of second place finishes under his belt in the #77 car for Spire Motorsports. But it seems that more than we talk about his on-track success, he finds himself in the headlines for his controversies both on and off the track.
A couple weeks ago at Nashville, Hocevar had a run-in with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. that upset the driver of the #47 car and had him vowing payback. And this past weekend while the Cup Series was in Mexico City, Hocevar once again spun Stenhouse – and it seems like Stenhouse is finally reaching his boiling point with the young driver, threatening in no uncertain terms to take matters into his own hands once they got back to the United States:
But that wasn’t the only controversy Hocevar had to deal with in Mexico City. While livestreaming during an iRacing event ahead of the Cup Series race, Hocevar was asked his thoughts on the international race, and he was less than complimentary to the host city:
“This is how I’d put it. If the travel was better, if getting here was easier, if you felt safer getting to and from everywhere, if it wasn’t such a sh–hole, if the track limits were a little better enforced, if it was gonna be a little bit better of a race, and it wasn’t so easy to, or feel so locked down like you can’t leave anywhere, it’d be a great experience. It’d be an absolutely great experience. If you take all those out, it’s unbelievable. It’s great.”
Yeah, you had to know NASCAR wasn’t going to be thrilled about those comments, especially when they worked so hard to promote and plan for their first international race since 1958.
Well after the race, Carson took to social media to apologize for his comments and admitted that he should have waited before bashing the city:
“Maybe a kid that had never been out of the country until Thursday should ever give an opinion about what any place is like other than Portage, Michigan.
When I answered that question on a stream, I was skeptical about the trip so far and believed everything I read or heard about Mexico City from people who more than likely also had never been here. Now that I’ve actually left my hotel a couple times and raced here in front of some of the most passionate fans I’ve ever seen, my opinion has changed. I am embarrassed by my comments, by the race I ran, and I may have to move here to hide out from Ricky anyway.
Count this as another lesson for me in a season I’ve learned so much. Don’t believe everything you hear without seeing it yourself. If anyone should give anyone or any place the benefit of the doubt it’s me. I’m sorry Mexico City. Consider me an ally going forward and an example of getting off Twitch and seeing things with my own two eyes.”
But apparently that wasn’t enough for his race team.
Spire Motorsports has announced that Hocevar has been fined $50,000 for the comments, with the money going to three organizations that serve Mexican communities. And he’ll also be forced to undergo cultural sensitivity and anti-bias training:
“These actions are consistent with Spire Motorsports’ core value of RESPECT, which is something we proudly display on every race car, team uniform, trackside hauler, and digital channel. Respect is not a slogan. It is a daily expectation that we “walk the walk” in how we speak, compete, and serve the communities that welcome our sport.
Carson Hocevar’s recent comments made during the livestream fell short of that standard. They did not represent the views of Spire Motorsports, our partners, or NASCAR. He has acknowledged his mistake publicly, and his prompt, sincere apology demonstrated personal accountability. We now take this additional step to underscore that words carry weight, and respect must be lived out loud.”
The team says they consulted with NASCAR on the penalties to confirm that they were sufficient, which means that Hocevar is not expected to face any further punishment from the sanctioning body (and also means that NASCAR was likely to act on their own if Spire hadn’t taken matters into their own hands).
After the penalties were announced, several fans took to social media to defend Hocevar and criticize the team for punishing him for simply giving his opinion, worrying that the team was going to turn one of the most entertaining drivers in NASCAR into just another bland personality. But Hocevar insisted that he was in the wrong and deserved the punishment:
“Whoa everybody, the truth is the truth. I said something that not only was wrong, I said it without even laying my own two eyes on CDMX or turning one lap in an actual race at an amazing facility that welcomed me with open arms and I go and say that? Thank you for the support but I’m not sure we’re on the same page.
You guys want me to be me? It was me who said it and it was me who apologized after actually taking the time to explore the city and feel the passion of every fan in attendance. I appreciate the opportunity to learn and I knew before this weekend what respect means to this organization and I didn’t meet the standard so I got what I deserved. I hate learning these lessons in the public eye and bringing any negative attention to Spire or me.
We’ve been fast just about every week and I’m sure I have plenty of mistakes left in me. I appreciate growing up in front of all of you and you guys get to see the good and the bad. I’m just me. I’m trying. It just doesn’t always go the way I want and I bring a lot of this on myself. However, I love being in this garage, with this team surrounded by the best drivers and fans in the world. See you in Pocono.”
And look, Hocevar has become one of my favorite drivers lately because he’s a hard racer and he DOES actually show some personality. The dude drives a Dale Earnhardt truck and sits in the stands with the fans for the Xfinity Series races, what’s not to love?
But he’s 22 years old. He’s made some mistakes, and he’s going to make more. I just hope he keeps the personality that has won him so many fans to begin with.
