Carson Hocevar, the 22-year-old rising star of Spire Motorsports, was at the center of a heated moment during the Toyota SaveMart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. The Michigan native faced tough contact from veteran driver Josh Berry in the final laps, culminating in a collision that sent Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet spinning off Turn 1. This clash quickly drew suspicion, with many observers considering Berry’s move deliberate, although Berry denied any intent to cause the incident.

This event stood out in Hocevar’s season, which has seen him frequently cast as the aggressor, only to have the roles reversed in this Sonoma Racing Clash. Following the contact, Berry attempted to reach out to Hocevar, but the younger driver chose not to respond, adding tension as they now prepare for the upcoming race at Dover Motor Speedway.

Hocevar Voices His Displeasure Over Berry’s Apology and the Incident

After the Sonoma race, Hocevar openly expressed his frustration about the collision and Berry’s subsequent approach. The incident forced Hocevar’s car into a spin, resulting in a disappointing 32nd-place finish, while Berry managed to finish 13th. At Dover, Hocevar reflected on both the event and Berry’s attempt at making amends.

“It’s just racing, I mean, sometimes you know stuff happens. We’re all on the limit of everything of all people, right? I’m on the limit of everything. So, yeah, it doesn’t bother me,”

Hocevar said, displaying a tone of reluctant acceptance.

However, he clearly expressed discomfort with the conventional calls and apologies that followed the incident.

“I don’t really like the whole ‘have to call’ and do that and have to apologize on Monday, say whatever, right? Because, I mean, even if you do it intentionally or not, you’re never going to say that to the person.”

“So, it just kind of just becomes a pony show a little bit. So, you know, if I don’t like it … it’s a little weird for me. I’ve never been on this side of it, but yeah. I’m just kind of just going through the actions of it,”

Hocevar elaborated, emphasizing his unease with the post-race social rituals.

Berry Explains His Perspective on the Sonoma Collision

Josh Berry, 34, shared his account of the incident during a pre-race press conference at Dover. According to Berry, the contact was part of a larger bottleneck during the restart that involved multiple drivers and was not targeted at Hocevar.

“The No. 43 (Erik Jones) was a restart at turn seven. Obviously, we’re all jammed up into each other. The No. 4 (Noah Gragson) car was on my right and kind of clipped me, and we just all got bottlenecked up and he got turned around.”

Berry’s explanation suggests the collision was accidental amid the chaos of close racing rather than a deliberate action. Despite this, tensions between the drivers have not fully eased, leaving a cloud over their rivalry as they prepare to race again at Dover.

Lingering Effects of Sonoma Incident as Dover Race Approaches

The collision at Sonoma has left a notable impact on both drivers, highlighting the intensity and pressures of Cup Series competition. While Berry sought reconciliation and Hocevar has acknowledged the nature of racing incidents, his criticism of the “pony show” of obligatory apologies shows underlying frustration. As the drivers return to the track at Dover Motor Speedway, the Sonoma Racing Clash remains a point of contention that may influence their interactions and racing strategies moving forward.