Michael McDowell spoke out regarding the on-track contact with his Spire Motorsports teammate Carson Hocevar during last week’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen. The incident, which created tension between the drivers, was explained by McDowell as a result of miscommunication rather than intentional aggression. The misunderstanding contributed to a collision in the final laps of the race.
McDowell described the moment:
So Turn 1, just miscommunication and misjudged it,
he said.
I thought [Hocevar] was actually rolling out to let me go by, and he was rolling out to try to get a run. When I peeked in, I thought, ‘Oh, he’s just (letting) me go.’ When he turned it, I was like ‘Oh no.’
He further emphasized that the clash was not intentional:
Really, it was just a miscommunication on what he was doing versus what I was doing. It was super unintentional, and obviously that’s not we want to have happened, but it happened. Can’t undo it, we can just move to the future and do better.
Carson Hocevar’s Reaction and Current Status
Carson Hocevar was spun during the final stage due to the contact with McDowell but had several other instances of contact throughout the race. Following the incident, the tension was audible in Hocevar’s radio messages as he told his team:
I don’t want to talk to [McDowell], look at him, do not let him near me.
On the Wednesday after the race, Hocevar spoke to reporters about his communication with McDowell, saying,
No, we hadn’t talked or whatever. He wanted to sit down at Richmond,
and added,
I’m gone racing, and he’s gone as well. Maybe it’s best-case scenario that we’re both gone. It didn’t seem like that big of a deal to me — either he made a mistake or misjudged and obviously turned me. Then we were just fighting for the last lap and last corner and felt like that was plenty of OK to do considering the contact right. I can play defense for one corner to try to get the spot.
Playoff Implications for Both Drivers
With only two NASCAR Cup Series races remaining before the playoffs, both Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar face pressure to secure wins and earn playoff berths. McDowell, the 2021 Daytona 500 winner, has previously made the playoffs twice—in 2021 and 2023. Hocevar, in his second full-time Cup Series season, is still seeking his first race victory at this level.
Significance of the Incident and Team Dynamics at Spire Motorsports
The contact between McDowell and Hocevar at Watkins Glen highlights the complexities of having teammates competing closely in high-stakes races. While McDowell framed the clash as accidental and due to mixed signals on track, Hocevar’s immediate reaction revealed the frustration such incidents can cause within a team environment. Both drivers must now reconcile as they race to secure playoff positions, and how they handle this situation moving forward could impact Spire Motorsports’ internal dynamics and overall performance.
The incident also underscores how split-second decisions and assumptions during competition can lead to challenges beyond the physical impact, influencing team morale and driver relationships. The resolution of their differences and the strategies they adopt in upcoming races will be critical to their playoff hopes and future collaboration.
