The Viva México 250 closed under damp skies at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez with a late-race spin that echoed a recent clash at Nashville Superspeedway. Three weeks earlier, Carson Hocevar had spun Ricky Stenhouse Jr., resulting in Stenhouse’s first DNF of the season, and team leadership on both sides had publicly urged de-escalation after that incident. “We don’t wanna put any more targets on my back. I feel bad, I’ve texted with Ricky if he wants to talk again, Michigan, we can… I didn’t want to wreck him.” Hocevar stated. And the two drivers did sign a peace treaty, which lasted only a few weeks.

In Mexico, Hocevar again spun Stenhouse late in the race, and the Hyak Motorsports driver responded immediately afterwards by issuing an open threat toward Hocevar. The spin on lap 90 carried weight. Hocevar’s brake lock-up and loss of grip in the marbles of the stadium esses sent Stenhouse’s No. 47 into a spin, reigniting tensions.

Immediately after the checkered flag, Stenhouse confronted Hocevar on pit road, delivering the now-viral line, “I told him I was going to beat his a– once we got back in the States.” That exchange made clear this was not lighthearted banter for Stenhouse but a serious grievance fueled by repeated incidents. Whether the international intrigue turns into frontier justice stateside, Hocevar was baffled and couldn’t make much of the threat dished out to him. “I mean, I didn’t really hear him,” He said, “but I mean, I know he was very mad and I was very apologetic.”

In his defense, the Spire Motorsports driver explained his miscue that unfortunately crossed Stenhouse’s path again. “I just got left and in the marbles and slid a lot longer than I expected. I was just logging laps, just trying to wait on a yellow and maybe see if we could put our day back together. But yeah, I just hit a curb wrong and got in the marbles and slid all the way through the corner, a really sloppy day by me.”

Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson had previously advised Hocevar to exercise constraint, citing a personal relationship with Stenhouse. But for some reason, he singled out the #47 Chevy last Sunday and ran him off track at a time when Stenhouse Jr. was looking secure a top 20 finish. Twice, Hocevar has deliberately or not caused trouble for the veteran driver and going by his admission, we might see fireworks at Pocono.

The on-track result deepened the friction. Stenhouse finished 27th and Hocevar 34th at Mexico City. That 27th-place finish saw Stenhouse Jr. drop to 21st in the playoff standings, whereas Hocevar didn’t do himself any favor as he tumbled down to 20th place. To make matters worse, SVG, a new driver winning the race, has added to both drivers’ woes. But, the race fans had a field day on Reddit, and they are expecting peak NASCAR entertainment if Stenhouse Jr. stays firm on his words.

Fans hoping for a NWS 2.0 with Carson Hocevar

“Pocono, please put an octagon into the infield for Sunday,” a fan commented, invoking UFC imagery because Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has a documented history of settling grievances with fists. Stenhouse punched Kyle Busch after the 2024 All-Star Race, resulting in a $75,000 fine and suspensions under NASCAR’s conduct rules. That precedent lends weight to fans’ octagon quip: if Stenhouse once threw a right hook at Busch, why not imagine a caged rematch with Hocevar?

Another fan observed the likely silent tension on the flight home. “Ricky’s going to be sitting across the aisle from Hocevar on the plane, scowling at him the whole time.” Unlike the regular race weekends, drivers were flying together in the NASCAR chartered flight, as this was an international trip. And fans feel Stenhouse would be staring down Hocevar the entire time they flew back home, and imagining the sight of it is indeed hilarious.

Other reactions mixed dark humor with reputational jabs, “I don’t blame him, I wouldn’t want to sit in a Mexican prison either lol.” We saw that Rowdy Busch had his fair share of troubles with Mexican authorities back in 2023, and Stenhouse Jr exercised caution to avoid a similar fate. Drivers throwing fists in the NASCAR garage is a common sight, but doing it in uncharted territory, in Mexico, Stenhouse wasn’t going to take a chance.

“I’d still take Ricky. Carson doesn’t look like he could beat an 8th grader in a fight,” a fan added. Hocevar stands well above 6 feet, whereas Stenhouse Jr. measures at 5′ 10″; this could be a significant disadvantage if the two drivers were to get in a fistfight. But he caught Rowdy Busch by surprise last year, and he could apply similar tricks if given the opportunity in Pocono. Fans have picked their sides, and they are awaiting a blockbuster end to this rivalry next weekend.

In all seriousness, Carson Hocevar wouldn’t want to be wrecked out of the race or be involved in a fight. All his hard work, the good runs at Charlotte, Nashville, Atlanta, and Michigan, will be outdone at this crucial juncture in the season. He cannot take more hits in terms of points, and the same can be said for Ricky Stenhouse Jr.