Ryan Blaney expressed frustration following a taunting post by Spire Motorsports on X that mocked his defeat to Carson Hocevar in the In-Season Challenge at Echopark Speedway. The Team Penske driver hinted that the playful online jibe could result in consequences on the track, signaling that payback might be imminent.
During the Quaker State 400, Blaney started strong from the second row in third position, while Hocevar began the race near the back in 30th place. An early wreck in Stage 2 forced the #12 car out of contention, while Hocevar avoided the crash and finished inside the top 10, securing his chance to advance to Round 2 of the Challenge.
In response to Blaney’s loss, Spire Motorsports shared a mocking meme on X, sparking a sharp reply from Blaney referencing their previous encounter.
“Still owe y’all for this one. Thanks for reminding me,” he responded. —Ryan Blaney
On June 30, Blaney discussed the incident and his reaction to Spire Motorsports on The Door Bumper Podcast.
“I saw that and I was, you know, I wasn’t really in a mood I was like, ‘eh it’s speedway racing whatever’. And then I saw that on the plane, I was like, ‘well, now you’ve kind of pissed me off a little bit’. That social media person is gonna have to explain when something happens to the 77 car that it was their fault. So I hope they’re proud of themselves for that,” he said. —Ryan Blaney
Before the In-Season Challenge, Blaney was seeded seventh, after earning third place at Pocono Raceway. However, his Did Not Finish (DNF) at Atlanta marked the sixth DNF of his 18-race season.
Blaney shares details of heated exchange with Carson Hocevar after Atlanta incident
The tension between Blaney and Hocevar dates back to the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Hocevar spun Blaney entering a corner. Starting from pole, Blaney’s chance at victory was erased by the contact, although he managed to finish the race.
Post-race, Blaney confronted Hocevar in a heated discussion, addressing the questionable moves that led to the incident.
“Yeah, I mean I just said, ‘Hey you got to calm down’ I mean I told him a couple of moves that he made earlier in the race that were really, really sketchy, obviously, me getting spun. He should know better than to hit me in that spot.” —Ryan Blaney
Similar frustration was echoed by Kyle Busch, who also found himself entangled with Hocevar during Stage 1 of the race. Despite these incidents, Hocevar claimed a career-best finish by placing second.
Potential ramifications and ongoing rivalry
Ryan Blaney’s public comments underline a simmering rivalry that could escalate in upcoming races. The social media exchanges and track incidents demonstrate the intensity of competition among drivers, particularly involving Hocevar and Blaney. The warning of payback hints at possible on-track retaliation, making future meetings between the two highly anticipated by fans and teams alike.
With his season marked by several DNFs, Blaney is likely to seek redemption and maintain his momentum in the In-Season Challenge. The ongoing friction with Hocevar not only intensifies competition but also highlights how online provocation and racing incidents intertwine in modern motorsports.
