The Chicago Street Race turned into a demolition derby on Lap 4 of the Grant Park 165, and Carson Hocevar was at the heart of the chaos. The Spire Motorsports driver, known for his aggressive style, brushed the wall exiting Turn 10, spinning his No. 77 Chevy across the track like a pinball.

The result? A seven-car pileup, which eventually brought out a red flag and left the Chicago Street Course blocked. Heavy hitters like Brad Keselowski, Daniel Suarez, Austin Dillon, Will Brown, Todd Gilliland, AJ Allmendinger, and Chris Buescher got caught in the mess, their cars tangled in a mess of crumpled fenders and stalled engines.

The crash forced a red flag to stop the race, allowing racing officials to untangle the cars. Meanwhile, Brad Keselowski, Austin Dillon, Will Brown, and Carson Hocevar have all been declared out of the race.

It all started with a blistering opening lap. Michael McDowell outmuscled pole-sitter Shane van Gisbergen into Turn 1, snatching the lead with a bold move. SVG tried to fight back in the next braking zone, but McDowell’s No. 71 held firm, setting the stage for a frantic pace.

Then came Hocevar’s spin through Turns 10 and 11, a tight section where the street course’s narrow confines leave zero margin for error. His slide triggered a chain reaction, collecting cars left and right, with the track completely choked off.

This pileup’s a gut punch for Hocevar, who started third, his best Chicago qualifying yet. With playoff pressure mounting and an 18th-place points ranking, the 22-year-old’s bold moves keep stirring controversy. The Spire Motorsports driver was done for the day, but Austin Dillon, who was caught in the melee, called out the young driver. “Carson Hocevar is the biggest dumba– in the entire sport. Everybody knows it, buddy. He wiped out into 10 and just wiped out half the field.” This was the radio from the #3 team.

Michael McDowell wins Stage 1

Michael McDowell played the strategy game to perfection, staying out to win Stage 1 while SVG and most of the field pitted late. The top 10 shook out as McDowell, Kyle Busch, Tyler Reddick, Chase Briscoe, Ryan Preece, Ross Chastain, John Hunter Nemechek, Zane Smith, Austin Hill, and Noah Gragson.

McDowell’s gamble paid off, holding off SVG by about 0.8 seconds with six laps left in the stage. Earlier, SVG and his team debated end-of-stage strategy, with the Kiwi noting, “I think grip is about to change soon,” hinting at a tire wear shift that could’ve flipped the script.

But McDowell’s call to stay out secured him the stage points and a crucial track position advantage on the tight street course. The stage wasn’t without drama. Alex Bowman spun out of Turn 12 but kept going, avoiding further chaos. Meanwhile, Christopher Bell’s pit road speeding penalty cost him big, dropping him from contention.

For the rear-starters, Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace clawed their way to 16th and 17th, showing fight despite starting in the back. Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott, however, stayed stuck outside the top 20, banking on pit strategy to make up ground. McDowell’s stage win, built on bold strategy and a clean line through Chicago’s tricky corners, puts him in prime position to challenge SVG’s street-course dominance as the race unfolds. Pit road strategies could decide today’s race and McDowell and his team are playing bold.