Carson Hocevar Quickly Takes a Back Foot After ‘F-Bomb’ Fallout With Rick Hendrick

NASCAR’s rough-and-tumble nature often leads to heated moments, and Carson Hocevar, the Spire Motorsports driver whose team relies on Chevrolet engines supplied through Hendrick Motorsports, has racked up enemies this season with aggressive moves that drew sharp words from rivals. Ryan Blaney called him a “moron” after an Iowa clash. Ryan Preece warned he’d “have his day” following Bristol contact. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. promised to “beat his a–“ post-Nashville tangle, and Austin Dillon dubbed him the “biggest dumb—“ in the series after a Charlotte run-in. Now, his frontstretch bump with Hendrick star Chase Elliott adds fuel to the fire, which he is trying to cool off.

That Darlington incident unfolded early in Stage 2 around lap 125, when Elliott dropped low hunting space and tagged Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet, nearly spinning him out. Hocevar vented on the radio, but both recovered, with Hocevar to snag ninth while Elliott faded to 17th. On the radio, he let out his explosive “F–k him… I don’t care who he drives for” jab at not just Elliott but also HMS. But now, as the second playoff race looms at World Wide Technology Raceway, Hocevar’s backpedal hints at deeper team dynamics at play.

Carson Hocevar backtracks on Elliott clash amid Hendrick scrutiny

In a candid chat on the Cup Scene YouTube show ahead of Gateway, Carson Hocevar addressed the Darlington dust-up with Chase Elliott, signaling a swift retreat from his post-contact rage. The 22-year-old Spire driver, whose No. 77 runs Hendrick-provided Chevrolet powerplants as part of the technical alliance forged in 2022, faced immediate backlash for that unfiltered radio call. That moment stemmed from a season of bold driving and gaining enemies through the on-track clashes over the recent course of time.

Hendrick Motorsports, the powerhouse behind Elliott’s No. 9 and four straight manufacturer titles, wields significant influence over Chevrolet teams, and whispers of a stern team talk surfaced quickly after the race. Hocevar wasted no time downplaying the beef, insisting it was behind them. “Yeah, I mean, you just move on. I mean, it was super early, and, you know, it just, I mean, it was, it didn’t affect either one of us. I don’t think it’s too bad,” he told reporter Blake Smith, framing the contact as minor amid the 367-lap grind.

About his explosive jab, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had warned earlier in 2025 about crossing that line, noting on his podcast that messing with Rick Hendrick’s drivers could land Hocevar in the “office” for a reality check. With Spire’s engine deal tying them closely, Hendrick supplies Chevy’s Cup power; sources say a quiet call from the Charlotte shop prompted Hocevar’s pivot, avoiding escalation before playoff focus.

The backtrack underscores the tightrope young drivers walk in NASCAR’s Chevrolet ecosystem, where alliances can make or break careers. “Yeah, you just, just move on. Yeah, you just think, you know, one thing: you’re going to give a little bit of extra room, and the other, you’re trying to kind of play a pick, you know, and, you know, I think that’s just racing,” Hocevar added, recasting the bump as tactical chess rather than personal vendetta. Chase Elliott, 20-time Cup winner, brushed it off publicly but finished 17th after the hit, tightening his +9 playoff edge.

For Hocevar, whose aggressive style mirrors early Kyle Busch but risks alienating allies, this could mark growth or a forced tone-down to protect Spire‘s Hendrick ties amid rumors of expanded technical support in 2026. While the Elliott episode cools, Hocevar’s Darlington night included another flashpoint that tested his composure further.

Hocevar downplays Bell pit road tangle

Carson Hocevar’s Darlington weekend doubled as a trial by fire, with pit road chaos alongside Christopher Bell adding to his headline-grabbing run. The Spire driver spun on track in Stage 2, drawing a caution that packed the pits, and as Bell’s No. 20 Toyota exited its stall, Hocevar’s incoming No. 77 clipped it, damaging Bell’s front end and dropping him to 29th despite three 2025 wins. Bell vented immediately, saying, “The No. 77 just didn’t yield. He didn’t give way,” blaming Hocevar’s failure to defer as the backmarker. This cost Bell points, leaving him 11th in the playoffs with a razor-thin buffer, while Hocevar regrouped for ninth.

Hocevar later reflected on the mishap during his Cup Scene appearance, stressing crew chief talks smoothed it over. “Yeah. Luke and, you know, Micro Chief and Adam Stevens talked, and they were all good,” he noted, crediting his crew chief Luke Lambert and Bell’s Adam Stevens for hashing details post-race.

“Drivers, most of the time on Pit Road, are kind of just blind, per se, right? It’s more on the crew chiefs from that aspect to guide us in and out,” he explained, highlighting how limited visibility for drivers under caution amplifies errors. This exchange prevented escalation, aligning with Bell’s later comments on strategy tweaks rather than grudges. The resolution again adds to Hocevar’s pattern of quick cools after hot moments, especially as he eyes consistency in year two.

“I think, you know, obviously, you know, heat of the moment, everybody, you know, can share their frustration, everything, but they talked and they were all good,” Hocevar said, attributing tempers to race intensity. Bell absorbed the hit without major fallout, focusing on Gateway recovery. For Hocevar, avoiding multi-driver beefs builds his rep beyond the agitator tag, letting track results like his seven top-10s speak louder as playoffs rage on.