The fallout from Carson Hocevar and Ryan Blaney’s heated pit-road confrontation at Bristol has continued well beyond the two drivers. While Hocevar has embraced the attention surrounding his growing list of controversies, veteran NASCAR voices have questioned how Spire is handling the situation. With the garage increasingly frustrated by Hocevar’s on-track incidents, criticism has now extended to team ownership.

Recently, Rick Mast delivered a blunt message to Spire owner Jeff Dickerson over his public comments and media appearances.

“I watched all. I’m like, man, I don’t know you. I know your name and hear about you all the time, but you need to stay the hell off TV. You don’t need the interviews. Just get away and do something else, man. And that’s not good,” Rick Mast said on the Herm and Schrader podcast.

Mast was referring to Jeff Dickerson’s post-race interview following the Carson Hocevar and Ryan Blaney pit-road incident at Bristol. The Spire Motorsports co-owner had spoken with Bob Pockrass and other reporters about the incident. He offered his perspective on what happened on the track and the physical exchange that followed on pit road.

Dickerson acknowledged that Blaney’s actions were unusual for the Team Penske driver. However, he also characterized the contact as part of the hard racing that comes with competing at Bristol.

When asked whether Hocevar should face a penalty for fighting, Dickerson questioned the premise itself. He pointed to NASCAR’s approach to driver confrontations. Dickerson also made it clear that he was prepared to defend his driver, while acknowledging that he did not see the Bristol incident as something that required much justification.

“We’re just surprised he can fight. What do you mean? What’s he going to get penalized for? By who? I thought the drivers can fight. They can’t get penalized. Look at this s***[pointing towards the cheering fans],” Dickerson said.

That response appears to be what frustrated Mast. His criticism was not simply about Dickerson defending Hocevar. Rather, Mast took issue with the team owner publicly discussing the controversy in a way that, in his view, could add another layer to an already contentious situation.

The Bristol confrontation had already pushed Hocevar’s latest controversy beyond the racetrack. After their late-race contact, Blaney went looking for Hocevar after the checkered flag. It instantly led to a physical exchange between the two drivers. The incident quickly became one of the biggest talking points coming out of the race, with Hocevar’s growing reputation again under the microscope.

Mast’s argument is that Spire’s response should be focused on managing the situation rather than giving the controversy additional oxygen. From his perspective, the ownership group has little to gain from repeatedly discussing incidents and supporting Hocevar. These acts are already drawing criticism from competitors and the larger community alike.

This is also not the first time Dickerson and Spire have faced scrutiny over how the team handles the No. 77 Chevrolet. Just weeks earlier, Hocevar was involved in another contentious incident at Darlington when he spun Brad Keselowski. His reaction afterward only intensified the attention surrounding the situation.

That episode also drew criticism from Denny Hamlin. The NASCAR veteran went beyond discussing Hocevar’s driving and questioned Spire’s leadership directly.

“You want me to talk about Spire? I’ll talk about Spire,” Hamlin said on the Actions Detrimental podcast. “There’s no adults in that room. Clearly. In that building. No adults. That’s my opinion. Because how can you honestly think that’s what’s best for your company? If you’re running a serious organization? I think they’re unserious. Anything else?”

Dickerson later addressed Hamlin’s comments during an appearance on Jeff Gluck’s podcast. Rather than ignoring the criticism, he responded by pointing toward the legal battle currently involving the organization and Joe Gibbs Racing.

“I mean, where do I start? I don’t even know where to begin to unpack that,” Dickerson said. “We’re serious enough to sue, apparently.”

That dispute stems from Chris Gabehart’s move from JGR to Spire that has added another layer to the scrutiny surrounding the organization. Against that backdrop, Mast’s latest comments suggest the criticism facing Spire is no longer limited to what Hocevar does behind the wheel. The recurring question is becoming how the team chooses to respond when its driver finds himself at the center of controversy.