Carson Hocevar insisted on Wednesday that he did not intentionally wreck Zane Smith during their August 3 race at Iowa Speedway. In an effort to make amends, Hocevar deliberately let Smith pass him during the recent race at Watkins Glen International.
Late in the Watkins Glen race, Hocevar moved to the side exiting Turn 5, allowing Smith to overtake him for 17th place. After the race, Hocevar approached Smith’s car on pit road and said,
If I could give that back in a spot that wasn’t going to cost me anything, hopefully that mends a little bit of their racecar getting wrecked [at Iowa] — which wasn’t intentional by any means,
—Carson Hocevar, as quoted by Jeff Gluck of The Athletic. He added,
Hey, I know that doesn’t make up for it. But you can expect that in the next couple weeks, OK?
Ongoing Tensions Following Iowa Incident Highlight Hostility in the Garage
Despite the gesture at Watkins Glen, underlying tensions remain between Hocevar and several other drivers. His conflict with Smith escalated at Iowa when Smith’s crew chief, Ryan Bergenty, interrupted Hocevar’s post-race interview to confront him over the on-track contact.
Bergenty sharply rebuked Hocevar, stating,
Hey, when are you going to learn to f*cking drive, dude? I mean you wiped us the f*ck out.
Their ongoing friction underscores a growing list of rivalries Hocevar has developed this season, including with drivers like Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Brad Keselowski.
Zane Smith Responds Coldly to Hocevar’s Attempted Gesture
Smith declined to comment on the brief interaction with Hocevar after the race. However, prior to the event, Smith was blunt about his opinion of his former Spire Motorsports teammate. He explained,
I personally can’t go have a conversation with him without getting a $75,000 fine,
and added,
Yeah, he’s just a dumb [expletive]. That’s just how it is.
Smith also accused Hocevar of trying to craft a false image in the media, stating,
I think that the media feeds into him trying to play this like, ‘Intimidator’ role. But then he’ll act like he’s your buddy, and then just be an idiot on social media,
followed by,
I was teammates with him, and everyone at that race shop, everyone in this garage, realizes he’s an idiot.
Broader Implications for Driver Relations and Season Dynamics
The events between Hocevar and Smith highlight the intensity and fraught relationships evolving within the NASCAR garage this season. As both drivers continue competing closely, their rivalry may impact future races and interactions on and off the track. The responses from key figures like Bergenty and Smith illustrate the challenges Hocevar faces in repairing damaged relationships.
In the weeks ahead, it remains to be seen whether Hocevar’s conciliatory efforts will ease tensions or if further incidents will deepen the divide between these competitors.
