Carson Hocevar will not compete in the NASCAR Cup Series finale this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Spire Motorsports – not NASCAR – took action against its own driver, suspending him for one race.
Controversy has followed Hocevar all season, and last weekend at Martinsville he intentionally checked Austin Cindric’s brakes multiple times until he inflicted race-ending damage on the Penske driver. Hocevar later laughed it off, saying “we were just having fun.”
Hocevar also spun mid-race in a questionable moment that left his rivals suspecting he had done it on purpose.
The team did not specify either incident as the reason, treating it as a broader issue of respect and integrity.
Statement from Spire Motorsports
“A decision like this has many variables and a cascading effect within an organization like ours,” Spire Motorsports team owner Jeff Dickerson said in a statement released Tuesday.
“The easiest thing would have been to leave this in the hands of NASCAR and let them decide what the penalty should be. For us, however, it’s not about money or points. We believe in respect. Our integrity matters. This is the right decision for Spire Motorsports.”
“Everyone here loves working with Carson, and we’ve enjoyed watching him thrive alongside our team. Sometimes the right decision for someone you care about hurts in the short term. The way Carson behaved at Martinsville doesn’t meet the standards we set for our drivers, team members or employees, and that has consequences. That doesn’t mean we don’t love and support him.
“Racing at the Cup level is a privilege, and with that comes the level of professionalism expected from everyone who represents Spire Motorsports. Well, let’s go to Homestead united and compete as an organization. After that, we can prepare for Daytona in February with the right mindset to contend for a championship.”
Hocevar: “It’s an embarrassing day for me”
Hocevar fell from tenth to 12th in the championship standings at Martinsville and could easily fall further in the Chase standings by missing Homestead.
Justin Haley, who previously raced for Spire at the Cup level and gave the team its first-ever victory in 2019, will drive the No. 77 Chevrolet this weekend.
Hocevar apologized for his actions, saying Tuesday: “This is an embarrassing day for me. I let down the people who gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to drive a Cup car. I also let down my team sponsors and the fans. I crossed the line with my actions on the track that gave Jeff and Spire Motorsports no choice but to put someone else in the 77 car this weekend at Homestead.”
“I will support the entire organization this weekend and look forward to returning in 2027 as a top driver, competitor and teammate.”
Hocevar has been making headlines all year and has made plenty of enemies on the track. The Martinsville controversy is just the latest incident. Even during the Chase, he dumped Brad Keselowski at Darlington and fought with Ryan Blaney after destroying him at Bristol.
After Martinsville, NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Burton and Dale Jarrett ripped into Hocevar on the show, taking issue with his lackadaisical post-race attitude.
Watch: In-car cameras capture heated clash between Hocevar and Cindric in Martinsville
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