Justin Haley was driving the No. 77 Chevrolet in the Homestead finale, but Carson Hocevar was still drawing a sizeable crowd at the track. The suspended Spire Motorsports driver found himself with more time than usual to meet fans, and his account of Sunday revealed just how many people wanted to see him despite his absence from the race.
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At one point, Hocevar even tried to stand on a golf cart so he could get above the crowd and organize a photograph with everyone. It was an unusual scene after a week dominated by the consequences of his actions at Martinsville. But Hocevar’s own account suggests he was not spending Sunday dwelling on the race he had been barred from contesting.
Asked whether watching somebody else drive his car was harder than he expected, Hocevar said he was relatively comfortable with the situation. The suspension had not come as a surprise, and the extra time away from the cockpit gave him an opportunity to interact with fans.
“I’m sure. But I was pretty content with it,” Hocevar told Bob Pockrass on X. “It wasn’t like a surprise the second race started… There’s a lot of people. I think they knew I had a little bit more time on my hands on Sunday.”
The crowd did not mean he could stay there all afternoon. Some sponsor appearances could not be moved, and he had to leave at one point to fulfill those obligations. Still, he appreciated the turnout and came up with his own way of making sure everyone could get a photograph.
“But yeah, there’s a lot of people,” he explained. “I still had to do a few sponsor stuff that couldn’t get moved. So I did have to leave at some point, but it was, it was cool. I tried to stand on the golf cart, and I was like, hey, can everybody turn around real quick? And, you know, if you want a photo, I’ll just stand. I’m pretty tall. I’ll be above the crowd.”
Hocevar also stressed that he remained part of the team’s weekend, despite not being allowed to drive. The meet-and-greets, time around the hauler, and other team activities continued much as they would at any other race.
“I got to be a part of the team and stuff. It was very much all the same, other than just the driving portion, but you still have meet and greets and stuff and trailer and everything,” he said. He then turned to the next race: “So, yeah, I mean, I’m excited for Daytona. It’ll be fun.”
The fan interest was not lost on NASCAR. During Friday’s State of the Sport address, CEO Steve O’Donnell acknowledged Hocevar’s problems on track but praised his willingness to engage with spectators.
“There’s certainly some challenges, but I like what he brings to the fan base in terms of going out, meeting with fans, talking,” O’Donnell said.
He also pointed to merchandise and fan engagement as evidence that audiences are responding to drivers with distinct identities.
The support came amid a difficult week for Hocevar. At Martinsville on November 1, he repeatedly hit the brakes in front of Austin Cindric, causing the No. 2 Team Penske Ford to hit the rear of the No. 77 and suffer terminal damage. Cindric finished 36th after his race ended in Stage 2.
Spire suspended Hocevar for the Homestead finale and named Justin Haley as his replacement in the No. 77. NASCAR separately fined him $100,000 and deducted 25 driver points for multiple conduct violations. Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson said the team’s decision was about its standards and integrity, rather than simply leaving the matter to NASCAR.
Hocevar had accepted responsibility before the weekend began. Speaking Friday, he acknowledged there was no real defense for the Martinsville incident and said he had forced the team’s decision.
“I forced their decision. It’s not anybody else that’s doing this to me. I did this,” he said. He also described being at the track despite his suspension as a privilege.
The situation carried another perspective from teammate Michael McDowell, who said he knew how difficult it could be to watch someone else race your car after a poor decision. McDowell recalled being sidelined earlier in his career and described one experience as life-changing. He hoped the suspension could have a similar impact on Hocevar, while supporting Spire’s decision.
Zane Smith, meanwhile, offered little sympathy. Asked about Hocevar missing the finale, the rival said he was “glad he got some karma” after their run-ins and Smith’s own penalty for retaliating against Hocevar at Phoenix.
Hocevar did not describe Homestead as an ordeal. He admitted it was different to see Haley in the No. 77, but said he was content with how the day unfolded. He remained involved in team activities, fulfilled sponsor duties, and spent much of the weekend meeting fans. The race itself was out of his hands, but he was hardly absent from the event.
His attention has now shifted to Daytona and the opportunity to return to the cockpit. Homestead was a consequence of his Martinsville actions, but the response from fans offered a reminder of the following he has built in his first three full Cup seasons. The next step is making sure that popularity is matched by the consistency and judgement expected of a Cup driver.