In the first-ever NASCAR Cup race in Mexico, a collision between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Carson Hocevar led to a tense post-race confrontation. The incident intensified the ongoing rivalry after Hocevar spun Stenhouse Jr. late in the race, prompting Stenhouse Jr. to threaten retaliation once they return to the United States.
The Crash and Immediate Aftermath on Track
During the race’s closing stages, Hocevar, who was a lap behind, spun Stenhouse Jr. with about 10 laps remaining, causing disruption in front of the stadium crowd. Stenhouse Jr., driving the #47 Hyak Motorsports Chevy, struggled to recover and finished 27th, while Hocevar’s day ended 34th, one lap down. This crash followed a similar incident at Nashville where Stenhouse Jr. also faced trouble.
Face-to-Face Confrontation Between Drivers
After parking his car on pit road, Stenhouse Jr. approached Hocevar, still seated in his #77 Chevy, and confronted him through the driver’s side window. The exchange was heated, as Stenhouse Jr. expressed his anger and threatened consequences beyond the track but avoided physical confrontation in Mexico. His frustration was clear as he made his intentions known:
“I’m going to beat your a**. You’re a lap down, you’ve got nothing to do. Why did you run into me for the second time? I don’t give a damn! I’ll beat your a**. I will when we get back to the States.” —Ricky Stenhouse Jr., NASCAR driver
Hocevar acknowledged his role in the crash and apologized, recognizing it was a mistake, but Stenhouse Jr. was unwilling to forgive so easily, reigniting their ongoing feud.
Fan Reactions Highlight Past Mistakes and Rivalry
The confrontation polarized fans, sparking a wave of comments on social media. Many reminded Stenhouse Jr. of his history of on-track incidents, referring to the nickname “wrecky,” which he earned early in his career for his involvement in multiple collisions. One fan bluntly addressed him, saying:
“Ricky Ricky Ricky stop before I be mean and remind you of your past” —Social media user
Many comments reflected the intensity between both drivers, with some urging Stenhouse Jr. to follow through with his threats, while others pointed out the irony of his anger considering his own track record:
“Do It then. Wait for the man to get out of the car,” —Online comment
“Stenhouse knows Mexican jails suck I’d guess,” —Social media user
“Pot calling the kettle black, it’d be funny if it weren’t so …. Ricky-like,” —X platform user
“He’s had enough, guess the talk did no good last week,” —Commenter on social media
Carson Hocevar Provides His Side of the Story
Addressing the incident, Hocevar described Stenhouse Jr.’s demeanor during their exchange as “very mad.” He admitted he barely registered what Stenhouse Jr. was saying inside his car but took responsibility for spinning him. Hocevar explained that he lost control after sliding on the marbles off the racing line, causing the collision. He expressed regret for the incident, given that he was not competing for position but simply trying to stay on track and wait for a caution to improve his day.
“I just got left and in the marbles and slid a lot longer than I expected. So yeah, I mean, obviously number one, not somebody I would never want to hit again. But number two, just yeah, I wasn’t racing anything. I was just logging laps, just trying to wait on a yellow and maybe see if we could put our day back together.” —Carson Hocevar, NASCAR driver
Current Standings and Upcoming Challenges for Both Drivers
Carson Hocevar came into the Mexico road course event after competing well at Charlotte, Nashville, and Michigan but experienced a disappointing race weekend that has left him 60 points below the playoff cutline. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., meanwhile, sits just one point further back at 61 points shy of qualifying for the postseason. As they head to the next race at Pocono, both drivers face mounting pressure to perform and avoid further confrontations. The escalating rivalry could have implications for their standing and reputations within the NASCAR community.