'I got my ass kicked': Blaney reflects on 'out-of-character' melee with Hocevar

Ryan Blaney acknowledges he acted out of character Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway and regrets the decisions that led to the fight with Carson Hocevar.

“It was interesting as I kind of reflect on it,” Blaney said this week on Denny Hamlin’s podcast, Actions Detrimental.

“It was kind of the opposite of what I’m normally like. If something happens, I usually vent initially, and I calm down really quick. Saturday night was weird because I didn’t blow up initially. I was just trying to get my car started, and it wouldn’t start, so they towed me back, and we were done. 

“But I wasn’t, like, furious. Nothing like that; I was kind of more calm than I normally am, and it built over time to where it got to where it was… And I don’t know why that was. I really don’t.”

Blaney exited the race with 43 laps to go after Hocevar spun him going into Turn 1. He had just passed the Spire Motorsports driver and was trying to protect the bottom when the contact happened. But then outside the care center, Blaney told reporters that something was going to happen with Hocevar that night.

It came during post-race when Blaney returned to pit road and confronted Hocevar. Blaney grabbed and pushed Hocevar, who then started swinging, starting the brawl. NASCAR did not penalize either driver.

Blaney broke down the incident as such: “We ran maybe a lap and a half, two laps, side-by-side trying to clear, and I got clear off of (Turn) 4, and I left like half a lane to the wall when I did get clear because I wanted to shade to try to stay on the bottom, and he just had a big run and crossed over. And looking back on it, I’d say it’s a 50/50. I was wanting to protect the bottom; he was wanting to get to the bottom and was there late by a little bit, and neither of us wanted to give. 

“I wanted the bottom, he wanted there, and I ended up getting turned. So, really, I’d put it on both parties. I don’t think he’s 100% to blame. I’m not 100% to blame. I think it was just two guys fighting for the bottom at Bristol.” 

The Team Penske drivers theorized that seeing the replay, combined with his overall frustration over the last few weeks, was why he stayed mad and then reacted. Bristol was the team’s third DNF in four races.

“So, I think it was, ‘Man, what else can go wrong currently?’” said Blaney, “and that part I think started to boil a little bit in me.”

There was a choice to be made in the moment when the contact happened, and Blaney would have been fine if Hocevar had gone into the corner and moved him up the track. But he didn’t believe he deserved a wrecked race car. Blaney also acknowledged that he and Hocevar haven't had issues in a while, or at least not since their contact at EchoPark Speedway last year.

As for why Blaney didn’t stay committed to the top and shaded down on Hocevar, it was the line he wanted to run. The pass on Hocevar came on the bottom, and Blaney felt his car ran better there.

“I need to try to establish myself in second to have a shot to win this race,” he said. “And hindsight is 20/20 of like, well, if you don’t get crashed and go run third, it’s a great points day. But, hey, we’re trying to win the race at Bristol and give ourselves the best chance. We just came from the back twice, and those things happen, unfortunately.”

Blaney returned to his hauler to see his team after leaving the care center, and at that point in the race, stood to watch the finish on the big screen. The field coming down pit road on that side of the track and parking “probably made it worse,” as Blaney watched that. 

“So, I’m standing there, and I really wasn’t planning on doing anything,” Blaney said. “I didn’t tell any of my guys what I was doing. [Jonathan] Hassler was standing there… and I just handed Hassler my phone and said, ‘Hold this,’ and I just left, and he had no idea what that meant. 

“He had no clue. It’s not as cool as (Richard Childress saying), ‘Hold my watch.’”

There was no plan when Blaney got to Hocevar other than to have a stern conversation. However, after reaching out and aggressively grabbing Hocevar first, Blaney understood Hocevar's reaction to defend himself and throw punches.

“He landed a pretty good right hand,” said Blaney. “I see the second one coming, and I’m kind of immobilized, and in my mind I’m like, ‘All right, I’m just going to eat this thing,’ and continue to yell at him and stare at him while I just eat this other right. 

“I’ll give it to him – he tagged me in the same exact spot he got me the first time … in my cheekbone.”

The regret, now that things have settled, comes from how it all played out because it’s not like him, and he wants to set a good example. 

“I wish I would have gone about it a different way,” Blaney said. “I’ll be honest with you, yeah, I went over there and got my ass kicked, for sure. I ate a two-piece and got tagged pretty good. But I just wanted to show my displeasure.”