Carson Hocevar Takes a Sly Dig at Zane Smith on Social Media After Post Race Drama at Iowa

Carson Hocevar is yet again grabbing headlines. He delivered a standout performance across both Xfinity and NASCAR Cup Series races at Iowa Speedway, highlighted by a solid top 10 finish in both series. This is a strong weekend across Saturday and Sunday, underscoring his momentum mid-season, as he continues to build consistency and race craft.

However, amid that success, one moment stood out the most: a controversial on-track incident with Zane Smith in the cup event. The feud overpowered his achievements for the weekend as fans and insiders talked about it. And now, Hocevar has fired back via social media.

Carson Hocevar fires back after Zane Smith’s failed attempt at wrecking

Hocevar started the Iowa Corn 350 from P7, marking his best qualifying effort at this track. He maintained a strong pace early, finishing stage 1 in seventh, but then dropped to 29th after a late stage two spin. But despite the adversity and the frequent cautions, 12 in total, he regrouped and ultimately finished strong in the Cup race. This by far has to be his best weekend in the 2025 season.

But all this hard work was sidelined when the incident on lap 229 sent the two drivers into a frenzy. Hocevar got loose and made contact with Zane Smith, sending the No. 38 Ford into the SAFER barrier between Turns 1 and 2. Smith, who was running 23rd, was forced into the garage and eventually finished 36th, six laps down. Reflecting on his race and speaking to Frontstretch, Carson said, “Yeah, I felt like our car was pretty good, you know, just kind of stretchy. I don’t know if anybody could have predicted how this race works, you know.”

However, a few laps later, with tempers flaring, Zane Smith attempted to retaliate; his dash cam footage showed him steering sharply toward Hocevar’s rear in a failed right rear hook attempt on lap 238, an attempt that can earn a one-race suspension just like Austin Hill at Brickyard in the Xfinity Series. However, Carson Hocevar, one to stand his ground, responded on Instagram, reposting Smith’s in-cam video and captioning it: “ not half bad recovery from a spin.” His post cleverly flipped the narrative, turning a heated moment into a sly dig at Smith’s unsuccessful wreck attempt.

Smith has lashed out at his own spotter over the team radio earlier on in the race, shouting, “Gotta quit telling me how to f***ing drive things, dude. Every time I poke into the middle, we get f***ing wrecked.” After the race, Ryan Bergenty, Zane Smith’s crew chief, interrupted Carson’s interview with Frontstretch and confronted him angrily. The heated confrontation escalated immediately and quickly ended the interview. This gives Carson more reason to retaliate via Instagram, as he is focused solely on his own race. With all the momentum and energy on his side, Carson Hocevar is still missing one thing, and that is a win. The No. 77 is definitely on a hunt for it.

Carson Hocevar is on a hunt for a win

Carson Hocevar is still searching for his first NASCAR Cup Series victory, a milestone he will likely need to reach to secure a spot in the playoffs during his sophomore Cup season. So far in 2025, he has logged 23 starts, one pole, six top tens, and two top fives, but still zero wins in Cup competition. Given the tight points situation and sitting well outside the playoff cut-off, he is under pressure to turn close calls into a win.

The No. 77 driver has shown what he can do behind the wheel, with standout efforts like his runner-up finish at Atlanta in February and a second-place charge in Nashville before finishing 8th at Iowa. His raw speed and car control are never in question. The challenge now lies in fine-tuning discipline and consistency, being patient enough to let the track evolve while dialing in strategic adjustments on pit road. Even a top-five result this weekend would be a major lift, not only for Hocevar but for Spire Motorsports as a whole.

Justin Haley already showed early strength with a second-stage run just outside the top 10. Michael McDowell had an under-the-radar outing at Iowa, qualifying 27th and finishing 27th, putting in a steady performance but remaining outside the spotlight. With his background of short track competence and improvement in team execution, the weekend offers a baseline to build upon as Spire Motorsports continues to seek stronger Cup results, and if all three Spire entries can stay competitive, it could mark a breakthrough weekend for the team on multiple fronts.

Iowa Speedway will not make life easy, with its short-track dynamic, changing groove by groove as the race unfolds. Hocevar’s best shot lies in adapting already, building momentum through smart adjustments, and avoiding costly overdriving. In the end, success will go to whichever team can anticipate the track’s evolution and react with precision.