Carson Hocevar spoke candidly about the controversial Sonoma clash with Berry, shedding new light on an incident that shook the closing moments of the Toyota SaveMart 350. The altercation, which ignited strong reactions across the NASCAR community, unfolded as Hocevar and Josh Berry’s cars tangled at Sonoma Raceway, leaving the young Michigan driver frustrated as this weekend’s Dover event approaches.
Hocevar’s Perspective on Being Taken Out at Sonoma
Spire Motorsports‘ 22-year-old Carson Hocevar, often known for his aggressive driving, unexpectedly found himself as the victim during the final laps at Sonoma. As the race neared its end, Josh Berry’s No. 21 Ford from Wood Brothers Racing made contact with Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet, which spun violently off Turn 1. The impact cost Hocevar dearly, dropping him to a disappointing 32nd-place finish, while Berry managed to claim 13th. This marked an unusual reversal for Hocevar, who typically faces criticism as an on-track instigator rather than a casualty.
After the incident, Berry reached out to Hocevar to discuss what happened, but the younger driver ignored his efforts. The silence persisted until, in the lead-up to the Dover event, Hocevar decided to share why he held back from responding. His remarks revealed ongoing tension, emphasizing the pressure and scrutiny that defines high-profile races in the NASCAR Cup Series.
“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,”
—Carson Hocevar, NASCAR Driver
Discomfort With Traditional Apologies in NASCAR
While discussing the aftermath, Hocevar expressed clear discomfort with what he sees as automated post-race apology rituals within the sport. He argued that required phone calls and Monday apologies offer little real closure, regardless of whether the incident was intentional. These sentiments highlighted his skepticism about such traditions among fellow drivers, especially given his unfamiliarity with being the one wronged in a public scenario like this.
“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.”
—Carson Hocevar, NASCAR Driver
“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,”
—Carson Hocevar, NASCAR Driver
Berry Attempts to Set the Record Straight
Josh Berry, for his part, used a pre-race press conference at Dover Motor Speedway to deliver his version of events. During this discussion, the veteran driver pointed to a sequence of events at Turn 7 during a restart, which triggered the contact between several cars. He noted the involvement of Erik Jones (No. 43) and Noah Gragson (No. 4), emphasizing that the tangle was largely the result of a chaotic restart that left drivers bottlenecked in a tightly packed field. According to Berry, the chain reaction led to Hocevar being turned around, but he maintained the move was not deliberate.
“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.”
—Josh Berry, NASCAR Driver
Lingering Tensions and the Road Ahead
As tensions continue to simmer, the episode has left an uneasy mark on both drivers as they head into the Dover feature. While Berry may have offered his apology, Hocevar’s reaction indicates the rift may not heal quickly. The Sonoma confrontation not only spotlights growing competitiveness among rising talents and veterans in the series, but also raises questions about how on-track disputes and their aftermath are discussed and managed. With the next race looming, the echoes of Sonoma are likely to influence interactions on and off the track, keeping the Carson Hocevar Sonoma clash with Berry at the center of NASCAR conversations for the foreseeable future.
