The NASCAR Cup race held in Mexico City three weeks ago continues to generate discussion, especially regarding the moment when Carson Hocevar caused Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to spin. This incident marked the second collision between the two drivers within just a few weeks, intensifying a brewing rivalry after an earlier clash at Nashville.
Carson Hocevar has since apologized to Stenhouse for the Mexico City event, reiterating his regret during a recent episode of the Dale Jr. Download podcast. While Hocevar acknowledged his mistake in Mexico, he maintained that at Nashville he was simply defending his position.
Hocevar described the Mexico City event, saying,
“So I saw him in front of me and he was kind of like pushing up and I was trying to help him.”
He explained the challenge of adjusting to the track’s characteristics, noting the difficulty posed by long straightaways paired with lower horsepower due to high elevation.
“I noticed he was catching the guys in front. I was like, ‘Oh, I’m going to earn some (track position) back here. I’m going to push him down the straightaway.’ I was kind of staying close and everything and I just had the biggest brain fade ever. I just got in the corner and I was like, ‘Oh, there’s a corner here.’ And so, I went to the brakes. I locked up.”
Hocevar Describes Losing Focus Before the Spin
In further explaining the incident, Hocevar admitted a momentary lapse that led to losing control.
“I just kind of zoned out. I was just banging gears. For a minute, my guys thought I passed out because my car just goes straight. And I am legitimately in there holding the wheel straight. I was just literally just sitting there and I’m watching him and I don’t even turn the wheel,”
he said.
Hocevar realized immediately that he had made a serious error, and he hoped Stenhouse could avoid a disastrous crash.
“I’m just literally watching him spin and I’m just like, ‘Please, for the love of God, save this thing. Even if you lose a spot, just save it,’”
Hocevar said.
“And I just watch him spin around. I’m just like, ‘Okay, do I just wait for him to go? Do I just get wrecked now?’”
He added,
“So my car just stayed there for a while and they thought I legitimately had like a medical emergency, like I passed out from the heat and whatever. But I was just like no, I was just sitting there watching.”
Despite the spin, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. managed to finish the Mexico City race, ending in 27th place, while Hocevar finished 34th, reflecting the consequences of their on-track encounter.
Earlier Clash at Nashville Also Involved Aggressive Moves
Carson Hocevar, a 22-year-old from Portage, Michigan, is known for his aggressive driving style, which this season has caused friction with several competitors, including Stenhouse. Two weeks prior to the Mexico City race, the two drivers had an altercation at Nashville’s Turn 3 resulting in Stenhouse’s race ending prematurely.
Regarding that Nashville incident, Hocevar explained,
“I thought like there’s a car directly in front of him, I’d show my nose really early. He’s probably going to want clean air. He’s going to run the middle and I’m going to take that hole or I’m gonna at least make him go higher. And he didn’t.”
He added,
“And I was just like, ‘No, you’re not coming down here. I got you.’ And then it kind of just like forced this to happen. That’s just kind of the instinct of just who I am, like when you start doing something, I’m just going to just take that last second of just like, ‘No, hold on. Like I’m coming in. I’m on my way.’”
Hocevar also reflected on the competitive nature of the moment:
“I think he thought I was going to cut him a break and I was just like, ‘Well, why couldn’t I get one, too, like why can’t (we) race side by side in that corner?”
That collision ended Stenhouse’s day early, with a 39th-place finish at Nashville, further fueling tension between the two drivers.
Ongoing Rivalry Suggests Future Conflict May Be Inevitable
Though the confrontations between Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. have quieted somewhat since the Mexico City race, their aggressive driving styles and competitive clashes hint at more possible incidents. Both drivers have discussed their encounters openly, yet the intense nature of their rivalry suggests that another on-track confrontation could occur soon.
Some observers expect their next clash may come as early as the upcoming race at Sonoma Raceway in California, where the heated dynamic between Hocevar and Stenhouse remains a key storyline for NASCAR fans this season.