Zane Smith on Carson Hocevar’s Suspension: ‘Glad He Got Some Karma’
· Yahoo Sports
Zane Smith says he’s glad Carson Hocevar “got some karma” after Hocevar’s suspension for the NASCAR Cup Series finale.
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Spire Motorsports suspended Hocevar for Sunday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway after he repeatedly brake-checked Austin Cindric at Martinsville. NASCAR also fined him $100,000 and docked him 25 points.
Smith was asked Saturday at Homestead whether this was the first real consequence Hocevar had faced, according to On3. He agreed that it was.
“Yeah, I suppose so,” Smith said. “I mean, I don’t care if he’s here or not, but yeah, glad he got some karma.”
The two drivers have clashed for much of the season. In July, Smith called Hocevar a “coward” on the Racin’ with the Boys podcast.
Justin Haley drove Spire’s No. 77 in Hocevar’s place Sunday.
Smith Has His Own $50,000 Fine
Smith has his own recent penalty. NASCAR fined him $50,000 after he ran into the back of Hocevar’s car on the cooldown lap at Phoenix Raceway three weeks ago.
Asked how he reacted to that fine, Smith kept it short.
“Hot. I was frustrated, especially at this time of year, but it is what it is,” Smith said.
The trouble at Phoenix began during the race, when Ross Chastain hit Hocevar and sent him into Smith’s No. 38 Ford. NASCAR said the fine traced back to a July warning it had given both drivers.
The July Wreck and the Hauler Meeting
That warning followed the July race at Chicagoland Speedway. On Lap 32, Smith appeared to wreck Hocevar on purpose and crashed himself in the process.
NASCAR called both drivers to its hauler for a meeting the following week at EchoPark Speedway. Smith said afterward that nothing had changed.
“I just don’t like him as a human,” Smith said then. “The meeting doesn’t change how much I dislike him and how much he dislikes me.”
Hocevar answered with a joke. “We’ll have to go to couples counseling, I’m sure,” he said.
NASCAR did not penalize Smith for the Chicagoland wreck. Hocevar said he agreed with that call.
“I was hoping they didn’t penalize him. That’d be really soft of the sport, personally,” Hocevar said.
On3 reported that the reason for the Chicagoland wreck isn’t completely clear, but the prevailing theory is the 2025 race at Iowa Speedway. Ryan Bergenty, Smith’s crew chief, confronted Hocevar after that race.
Smith and Hocevar have raced each other across multiple levels of motorsports, including the Truck Series, where Smith won the 2022 title. Smith drives for Front Row Motorsports, which also fielded his title-winning truck.
Hocevar has had other run-ins this season, including a post-race fight with Ryan Blaney at Bristol that both drivers later said was behind them. He spoke at length about his suspension at Homestead on Friday.