Tensions flared at The Glen when Michael McDowell and teammate Carson Hocevar found themselves trading paint far earlier than expected. But what began as a promising run for both drivers quickly turned into an awkward intra-team clash that had fans and analysts questioning whether the frustrations in the camp were starting to boil over. Now, McDowell is breaking the silence on the incident, sharing his perspective on the contact with Carson and what it means for their working relationship moving forward.

Carson Hocevar has quickly gained a reputation as one of the most aggressive drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series. At just 22 years old, the Spire Motorsports driver is often at the center of on-track incidents, sparking both criticism and debate within the garage. His no-holds-barred style was once again on display at Watkins Glen, where Hocevar’s actions left his teammate Michael McDowell frustrated. The Spire Motorsports teammates were both running inside the top 20 when their incident unfolded around lap 52. Fortunately, neither driver faced any major setbacks after the collision.

During the race, Michael’s No. 34 car made contact with Carson heading into Turn 1, sending the 22-year-old spinning off course. Although Hocevar managed to save his car from hitting the wall and finished 18th, he was left fuming. After the checkout flag, he retaliated by deliberately dooring McDowell’s car on the cooldown lap, and that move reignited talk about his controversial approach.

And now, as they head to Richmond, McDowell has chosen to speak on the subject. In a pre-race interview, he took a more measured stance when asked about the dust-up. He explained, “I mean, listen, we can’t be running into each other on our racetrack, and both of us are responsible for that. So, we just had the conversation, and we got to do better. We know we do, and it’s been made very clear to us from our owners and everybody else that it’s not acceptable. We get it. So yeah, we had good conversations, and I feel like it was important to do that in person because, like we asked him, he said, yeah, he said it.”

Despite the criticism, Carson Hocevar brushed off the situation. He admitted he hadn’t spoken with McDowell after and didn’t see the need to reconcile. From Hocevar’s perspective, it was simply racing, and the incident was not worth making into a bigger issue. While the 40-year-old attempted to clear the air later at Richmond, Carson downplayed the idea of a sit-down, suggesting that it was better to leave the situation as it was.

Michael McDowell added, “It was kind of the worst-case scenario, too, because it took a few days before we could all get together. But the bottom line is we know what we need to do, we know how we need to do it, and we didn’t do that at Watkins Glen.” Looking ahead, McDowell shifted his focus back to racing at Richmond, noting how high management and long run pace would play a pivotal role in the reported strong practice runs, and was optimistic about his performance, saying the data from both his own laps and Carson’s efforts would help the team prepare for the race.

McDowell clocked in a very strong P10 during the qualifying session at Richmond. His lap of 22.406 seconds placed him solidly, an impressive result for the veteran Spire Motorsports driver amid a competitive field. This top 10 start continues Michael’s consistent qualifying form in 2025, which includes a pole at Las Vegas earlier in the year, his first ever of the season, and the first in Spire’s history.

However, Carson posted a solid showing during qualifying, earning the 15th starting position with a lap time of 22.501 seconds. While outside the top 10, the mid-back start still places in a competitive position to maneuver during the race. Amid confrontation from Brad Keselowski, Carson has shown that he will not change his personality for anyone on track.

“He needs to be careful,” says RWR’s Competition Director about Carson’s behavior amid a new sponsor

Carson Hocevar’s aggressive driving style may be frustrating some of his NASCAR Cup Series competitors and has even drawn warnings from respected voices like Dale Earnhardt Jr., but it hasn’t stopped Spire Motorsports from landing a new sponsorship deal for the No. 77 Chevrolet. On Friday, the team announced the 22-year-old has secured backing from Modo Casino in a four-race partnership that begins August 23 at Daytona during the Coke Zero Sugar 400, the final event of the regular season. The deal comes shortly after Carson faced pointed caution about how his track record might affect future sponsorships.

The 2024 Rookie of the Year’s car will carry a striking black and pink livery featuring neon casino-inspired graphics and stars. After Daytona, the Modo scheme will also appear at Charlotte, Talladega, and Martinsville. Hocevar said, “I’ve been looking forward to kicking off the Modo Casino partnership and introducing its game to the NASCAR world. Modo Casino has been growing its presence through Formula 1 and working with content creator, so I’m excited to join the team and continue building the growth.” David Jumper, the CMO of ARB Interactive, Modo Casino’s parent company, added, “Partnering with Spire Motorsports aligns us with an iconic American sport and reinforces our commitment to creating unforgettable experiences for our players.”

But this sponsorship deal follows a recent warning from Rick Ware Racing’s competition director, Tommy Baldwin. Reflecting on Hocevar’s eighth-place finish at the Iowa Corn 350, Baldwin raised concerns about the youngster’s aggressive driving style and frequent on- and off-track packs with arrivals that could eventually land him in hot water with sponsors.

Speaking on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, he said, “The problem with Carson is the crew chief knows already, he’s got a lot of talent. There’s no question about it. There’s a lot of other people coming up there also has a lot of talent and knows how to race better than him. He needs to be careful, because things happen quickly in our sport. Business people, sponsors, get tired of it.” And now, as Carson heads to Richmond starting on the 15th, the NASCAR community and drivers alike will keep a close eye on him.