Carson Hocevar, a second-year Cup Series driver, has addressed the recent $50,000 fine issued by NASCAR after he revved his engine with a safety worker nearby during Sunday’s event at Kansas Speedway. The Carson Hocevar NASCAR penalty has sparked debate, with Hocevar clarifying the circumstances behind his actions on track and expressing understanding for NASCAR’s decision despite the steep penalty.
Chronology of the On-Track Event and Immediate Fallout
During the race, Hocevar found himself stuck on the track following a spin, a scenario not uncommon with the current Cup car. His car was stalled in second gear after the incident, making it necessary to restart the engine to shift into neutral so a tow truck could remove his vehicle from the racing surface safely. This maneuver, however, resulted in the tires spinning unexpectedly as the car fired up, prompting NASCAR officials to issue the significant penalty.
“I fired it up just to throw it into neutral,”
Hocevar said.
“It’s sometimes hard to get these things into neutral so I fired it up. Honestly, I didn’t know it spun the tires. Obviously, there’s a tow truck in front of me so I’m not going anywhere.”
– Carson Hocevar, Driver
Hocevar explained that while he had attempted to get moving earlier, the car’s tires had been off the ground and spun freely. He acknowledged that NASCAR’s ruling is largely based on observable actions rather than intent, meaning that, despite not acting maliciously, the rules had been clearly breached in this case.
He noted,
“But they judge based off of actions and visibility and not intent, right? The tires spun, black and white, so next time I might just have them rock the car to throw me in neutral. That’s on me not … I was sitting there in third gear doing a burnout so it’s on me not thinking about the tires spinning. It was educational for me. It’s expensive too. It’s educational for our guys too so I could just say I’m stuck in second and go from there.”
– Carson Hocevar, Driver
NASCAR’s Perspective and Hocevar’s Philosophical Approach
Despite the penalty, Hocevar emphasized that officials do not always have a complete picture of a driver’s intentions, acknowledging the challenge NASCAR faces in making decisions swiftly and consistently amid uncertain situations.
“NASCAR doesn’t have the intent. They can’t know the plan and story behind everything and judge everything and sometimes they have to call it the way they see it.”
– Carson Hocevar, Driver
Following the incident and NASCAR’s ruling, Hocevar was contacted by a series official, who seemed surprised by the lack of protest from the driver. Hocevar said he accepted the call, recognizing the logic behind NASCAR’s response to the situation.
“It got to like 1200 RPMs right? I just fired it up, threw it into neutral and shut it off, and I didn’t even realize the tires were spinning. They called it right.”
– Carson Hocevar, Driver
Financial Repercussions and Responsibility for the Penalty
Although Hocevar wishes the penalty had been lower, ideally around $5,000 for what he sees as a minor infraction, he accepts full responsibility for the incident. Questions surfaced regarding whether Hocevar or Spire Motorsports, his team, would ultimately be responsible for paying the fine.
“I spun the tires. It’s me.”
– Carson Hocevar, Driver
Potential Impact and Lessons from the Penalty
The penalty and subsequent response from Hocevar shed light on the strict safety standards NASCAR upholds, especially with safety workers on the track. The episode also serves as a costly learning experience for Hocevar and his Spire Motorsports team as they continue to adapt to the demands of the Cup Series. Looking ahead, the incident highlights the need for clear communication and careful action during safety procedures, as NASCAR maintains a zero-tolerance policy on rules surrounding track safety.
