Carson Hocevar Watkins Glen incidents made headlines during the latest NASCAR Cup Series event as the Spire Motorsports driver found himself involved in tense exchanges with both Brad Keselowski and his teammate Michael McDowell. The action unfolded at Watkins Glen International during both qualifying and the main race, casting a spotlight on Hocevar’s aggressive approach and fractious relationships on the track.
Saturday’s qualifying session at the New York road course set the stage for drama, when Brad Keselowski, a former Cup champion and Richmond Raceway for a discussion before the following week’s race.
“No, we hadn’t talked or whatever. He wanted to sit down at Richmond,”
—Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Driver
Hocevar reflected on the incident, suggesting that the race contact was part of hard racing between teammates and did not warrant lingering resentment.
“I’m gone racing, and he’s gone as well. Maybe it’s best-case scenario that we’re both gone. It didn’t seem like that big of a deal to me — either he made a mistake or misjudged and obviously turned me. Then we were just fighting for the last lap and last corner and felt like that was plenty of OK to do considering the contact right. I can play defense for one corner to try to get the spot.”
—Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Driver
Richmond Qualifying Looms Large
Looking ahead, Hocevar underlined the importance of achieving a favorable qualifying draw at Richmond, which he said played a role in his late-race duel with McDowell. He pointed out that, with Richmond being a tough track for overtaking, starting positions are vital for success.
“I think Richmond being the next week with qualifying draw being so important, that one spot I think matters a lot for qualifying, especially for how tough that place is to pass, but also super easy to go a lap down at that place,”
—Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Driver
Hocevar added that open communication with McDowell before the Richmond event might improve teamwork and help avoid future incidents.
“Qualifying means everything, and especially going out late, you’re going to have a massive advantage. So the later we could have got, the better. So I’m glad we at least got a decent position. Michael wanted to sit down and talk about it a little bit of just how we can move forward, and just help each other and next time to avoid that.”
—Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Driver
Giving Way to Zane Smith and Recent Rivalries
Though Sunday’s race at The Glen did not result in conflict with Zane Smith, Hocevar noted an interaction where he deliberately yielded a spot to the Front Row Motorsports driver. He revealed that Smith, on fresher tires, was clearly faster, and holding him up would have been counterproductive.
“He was on newer tires, so he was faster than me,”
—Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Driver
Hocevar referenced the context of previous weeks, where tempers between Smith, Ryan Preece, Christopher Bell, and himself had flared over incidents on the track. He suggested his decision to let Smith by was meant to ease the ongoing tensions in the tight-knit Cup Series community.
“I felt like that was his frustration level over the last few weeks of getting right-reared by Preece and then Bell and then me hitting the bump and wrecking him. I know that kind of boiled over onto us. If I could have just pointed him by where it’s not going to cost me anything, it’s an easy decision for me.”
—Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Driver
The Fallout: What Comes Next for Hocevar and Spire
Carson Hocevar’s recent string of altercations at Watkins Glen International with Brad Keselowski and Michael McDowell has placed the young Spire Motorsports driver in the NASCAR spotlight. The emotional and sometimes turbulent racing showcased at The Glen highlights the pressures and rivalries within the Cup Series, particularly for emerging talents like Hocevar. With another high-stakes event at Richmond Raceway coming up, all eyes will be on Hocevar, Keselowski, McDowell, and Zane Smith to see whether last weekend’s drama leads to further confrontations or newfound resolve among competitors. In a season marked by tension and aggressive racing, the handling of these relationships will be crucial for Spire Motorsports and its drivers as they navigate the road ahead.
