Carson Hocevar’s spin off Turn 10 on Lap 4 of Sunday’s Chicago Street Race created a significant wreck that blocked much of the track and involved eight drivers. This incident, known as the Carson Hocevar Chicago spin wreck, abruptly ended Hocevar’s day and disrupted the race early on. Denny Hamlin described the moment as a critical mistake during his Monday podcast, highlighting how Hocevar’s error led to the chain reaction.
Denny Hamlin analyzes the cause of the crash
Hamlin explained on the Actions Detrimental podcast that Hocevar misjudged the corner, a costly error on this high-speed track. He noted,
“At first glance, I was like, ‘How in the world did he misjudge the corner that bad?’ Not the first one that he actually hit, but the second one where he flat sided the left side. You look at the replay a little better and they did a good job on TV of showing this — he clipped the right side first and then that shot him into that area,”
—Denny Hamlin
Hamlin added that while cutting corners is common, this corner was too fast for such a close line. He said,
“Listen, it’s a mistake that can definitely happen. Many people cut the corners a little sharp, it’s just that’s a high speed one — yikes, I don’t know if you want to cut that one close. It was a mistake, it cost him. Certainly, he probably wishes he could do it all over again, but not ideal because it stacked up a bunch.”
—Denny Hamlin
Hocevar’s strong start ends abruptly in wreck
Hocevar began the race positioned on the front row in his No. 77 Chevrolet, showing a competitive pace early. However, the spin in the challenging section of the street course led to severe damage, forcing him out of the race, marking his fifth DNF (Did Not Finish) this season. His promising run ended as the accident left his car totaled, disappointing a team that had hoped to capitalize on their fast qualifying.
Austin Dillon’s frustration over the crash’s impact on his race
Austin Dillon, whose day also ended prematurely because of the wreck caused by Hocevar, openly voiced his anger afterward. Speaking on his radio, Dillon declared,
“Carson Hocevar is the biggest dumbass in the entire sport,”
—Austin Dillon
He further expressed his disappointment in media remarks, noting the strong potential of his No. 3 Breztri Chevrolet team before the incident unfolded. Dillon said,
“Disappointing day in the No. 3 Breztri Chevrolet at the Chicago Street Race. Crew chief Richard Boswell and everyone on the RCR team brought a really fast Chevrolet to the streets of Chicago. We qualified 10th and thought we would be a contender today in the race. A car spun in front of us on the first lap. It ended our day before we could even get it started.”
He added,
“It’s a shame and I’m just at a loss for words at this point. We’ll just keep bringing cars like this and hope our luck turns around for us at some point.”
—Austin Dillon
Significance and aftermath of the Chicago Street Race wreck
The disruption caused by Hocevar’s spin and the resulting multi-car crash not only affected his race but had broader consequences on several drivers’ performances, including Dillon’s. The incident underlines the challenges of street course racing, where tight corners and high speeds leave little room for error. For Hocevar, this means another setback in a season filled with early exits, while teams like RCR must regroup and aim for stronger finishes. The collision will likely fuel discussions on driver caution in future races at demanding venues like Chicago.
