Wants to set a better example.
This past weekend at Bristol, Ryan Blaney did what a lot of other NASCAR drivers probably wish they had done – or at least wished somebody else would do – when he confronted Carson Hocevar on pit road after the race following a late-race run-in between the two.
Blaney ran up front for much of the race, leading 202 laps after being forced to start 29th after qualifying was canceled yesterday due to weather. But his race came to an end on lap 457 after a run-in with NASCAR’s favorite villain, Carson Hocevar.
The #12 car passed Hocevar for 2nd place, and as the #77 car went inside to try to get back underneath him going into the corner, Blaney appeared to throw a block to try to break Hocevar’s momentum.
But if you know anything about Carson Hocevar, you probably know what happened next: The Hurricane refused to lift, getting into the back of Blaney and sending him into the wall and bringing an end to a great run for the #12 car.
It’s just the latest in a long string of run-ins for Hocevar, who’s made more than his fair share of enemies this season. And during an interview following the wreck, Blaney hinted that he would have something to say to the 23-year-old after the race:
And less than 50 laps later, Blaney was ready to let Hocevar know what he thought of the move.
After the race, Blaney immediately ran to Hocevar’s car on pit road. The driver of the #12 car immediately grabbed Hocevar, who then started swinging on Blaney – and from there, it was on:
Opinions on social media were divided after the altercation, with many siding with Hocevar and blaming Blaney for the wreck, while others felt (like many of the drivers do) that somebody needed to confront Hocevar for his aggressive (and at times reckless) driving.
But today on Denny Hamlin’s Actions Detrimental podcast, Blaney opened up on the incident and revealed that he regrets going after Hocevar on pit road – but not because he doesn’t think that Hocevar deserved it.
While discussing the wreck, Blaney admits that he doesn’t put the entire blame on Hocevar for the incident that ended his day:
“I’d say it’s 50/50. I was wanting to protect the bottom, he was wanting to get to the bottom and was there late by a little bit, and neither of us wanted to give. I wanted the bottom, he wanted there, and I ended up getting turned. Really I’d put it on both parties. He’s not 100% to blame, I’m not 100% to blame, I think it was just two guys fighting for the bottom at Bristol.”
In the words of Denny Hamlin mocking Joey Logano, that’s just “short track racin’.”
Blaney said that his reaction to the incident was different than usual, when he would get mad about something initially and cool off as time passed:
“It was kind of the opposite of what I normally am like. … I wasn’t furious…and it built over time.”
He says that he wasn’t planning on doing anything after the race, but was standing around watching the end of the race as the cars pulled down pit road.
Blaney admits that he didn’t tell any of his team what he was doing when he went off after Hocevar, because he didn’t want them to accompany him and gang up on Hocevar. But he handed his phone to his crew chief and took off with plans to have a “stern conversation” with Hocevar:
“I wasn’t planning on throwing anything. I just really wanted to grab him and pretty much yell at him and show my displeasure.”
He also concedes that he understands why Carson swung on him after being grabbed “pretty aggressively.”
“You’re probably going to defend yourself. And he rightfully did.
He landed a pretty good right hand. It got me pretty good, and the hat just kinda flung off my head.”
Security quickly stepped in and separated the two, but not before Hocevar landed another punch:
“In my mind I’m like, ‘Alright, I’m just gonna eat this thing and continue to yell at him and stare at him while I just eat this other right.’ And I’ll give it to him, he tagged me in the same exact spot that he got me the first time.”
Blaney managed to break free, joking that everybody “forgot about” him and let him get back in there. But he says that he missed when he tried to jab Hocevar, and by that point it was pretty much over.
But now, with the benefit of hindsight, Blaney admits that he regrets the entire encounter:
“There are things I regret. I try to set a good example for kids who are watching who are fans, their parents who are allowing these kids to watch races and root for their driver. And I try to act a certain way to what a kid would want to look up to, and I look back on those things and I definitely regret the way I acted. That’s really unlike me, but I was just frustrated, and you just do these things.”
Denny points out that Blaney is often fiery on the radio but usually calms down once he gets out of the car, jokingly calling him “Jekyll and Hyde” for his demeanor on and off the track. (And I can confirm that in person, Blaney is as nice and laid back of a dude as you’ll ever meet).
But Blaney admits that he wishes he had gone about it a different way – just not because he has a black eye to show for it:
“I wish I wouldn’t have done that. I wish I would have gone about it a different way, just from people watching, and I don’t ever want to set a bad example.
And I’ll be honest with you, I went over there and I got my ass kicked for sure. I ate a two piece and got tagged pretty good. But I just wanted to show my displeasure.”
Of course fans loved the fireworks, but Denny explains that the fans don’t always understand just how much work goes into each race and the frustration that drivers feel after an incident like the one on Saturday. And he also isn’t a fan of Hocevar’s off-track antics, like offering 12% off at his merch store after the fight with the driver of the #12 car.
Regardless, it’s hard to argue about the excitement Hocevar brings to the sport – but it sounds like Blaney wishes he hadn’t added to the fire.
