Hocevar won’t explain brake-checks that got him benched by Spire

Carson Hocevar doesn’t think it matters why he brake-checked Austin Cindric multiple times during the NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway, which led to an in-house suspension by Spire Motorsports.

“I think the ultimate matter is that I chose to make that move or strategy or decision or whatever you want to call it,” Hocevar said Friday. “I think that’s all that really matters. I’m not going to sit here and explain every why because all that matters is you do it. There is no explanation for it that would make it make sense or whatnot.”

Spire Motorsports suspended Hocevar from the season finale Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway and will put Justin Haley in the No. 77 Chevrolet. NASCAR fined Hocevar $100,000 and docked him 25 driver points. In its penalty report, NASCAR cited not only actions detrimental to the sport but also multiple violations of the code of conduct.

The incidents occurred during the second stage at Martinsville Speedway, where it was blatantly obvious that Hocevar was brake-checking Cindric off the corners. SMT data showed Hocevar applied over 1,000 pounds of brake pressure.

“I don’t think it matters to sit here and explain it, to sit here and digest it,” Hocevar clarified. “Number one, I can sit here and say Martinsville, you do unhinged things. How many times have we seen people go wide open in the middle of a corner? Or brake check? Maybe not four times. That’s a little extreme, obviously.

“But I don’t think it matters for me to sit up here and go through every little detail of why or try to explain why I wasn’t or was mad and wanted to do this because of this. It’s just, ultimately, hey, I’d like to not do this again, and in our four walls, we’re going to work on that.”

Hocevar admitted he thought there would be risk in what he was doing as it happened. But he took the risk and “clearly I didn’t win on it or come out looking good on it.”

Hocevar, of his own volition, posted an 18-minute video on YouTube Thursday night in which he told fans he agreed with his suspension and forced Spire Motorsports’ decision. He also made it clear he was the bad guy, not his team; he apologized to Cindric and his team, and said the video was him owning what happened.

Friday was a scheduled media availability at the track for Hocevar, which was kept on the schedule despite the suspension. However, it was moved to Hocevar appearing alone, given the circumstances, rather than with any other driver, as originally planned for the weekend before the penalties. Hocevar is still obligated to fulfill his weekend responsibilities aside from driving the race car.

The obvious answer, Hocevar told reporters, as to why his suspension will be impactful is that he is not racing this weekend.

“I think it’s important for everybody included that it’s defensible when it’s racing and that wasn’t really racing,” Hocevar said. “Or there is not really a defense for it. I think ultimately the line in the sand for all of us is let’s keep racing racing.”

Hocevar has been fined a total of $250,000 in his Cup Series career between NASCAR and Spire Motorsports for behavioral issues.

NASCAR fined him for spinning Harrison Burton under caution at Nashville Superspeedway in June 2024 ($50,000), revving his car near safety officials at Kansas Speedway in Oct 2025 ($50,000), and most recently for brake-checking ($100,000).

Spire Motorsports fined Hocevar in June 2025 for disparaging comments about Mexico City before the inaugural event there ($50,000).

“Maybe the stove wasn’t hot enough,” said Hocevar, referring to his repeated transgressions. “I kept putting my hand on it until it finally burned my hand. … I think my hand’s pretty burnt. Hopefully for my wallet but also for my team and everybody [else], this is the last fine I have to deal with.

“But ultimately it’s not the fines but more so the actions that come with the fines.”