Carson Hocevar has publicly addressed the on-track incident involving Ricky Stenhouse Jr. during the Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Hocevar, driving for Spire Motorsports, took full responsibility for the collision, describing his actions as “sloppy” and emphasizing that Stenhouse is not someone he would ever want to hit again. The incident occurred with ten laps remaining in the 100-lap race when Hocevar locked up his tires in the stadium section and rear-ended Stenhouse’s No. 47 Chevy. This caused Stenhouse to spin out and both drivers fell back in the order, with Stenhouse finishing 27th and Hocevar 34th, one lap down.
This collision marked the second time in three races that Hocevar had taken out Stenhouse, the first being at Nashville Superspeedway. Following the Mexico City race, Stenhouse confronted Hocevar on pit road, angrily telling him, “I’m going to beat your ass when we get back in the States.” The confrontation was heated, with Stenhouse leaning into Hocevar’s car window and hitting his helmet while shouting. Hocevar tried to explain that he “washed up” but Stenhouse was unrelenting, expressing frustration that Hocevar was a lap down and racing nobody when he caused the incident.
Hocevar reflected on the incident in an interview with NASCAR analyst Bob Pockrass, explaining that he got “left and in the marbles” and slid much longer than expected through the corner. He said he tried to avoid Stenhouse but it was a “really, really sloppy day” for him, adding that he was not racing anyone at the time but just logging laps waiting for a yellow flag to try to salvage the day. Hocevar also admitted to handling issues with his No. 77 Chevy throughout the race, describing it on the radio as “the biggest shitbox I’ve ever drove in my life.” These struggles contributed to his disappointing finish and a drop to 20th in the driver standings, just one point ahead of Stenhouse.
The rivalry between the two drivers has escalated since their first collision at Nashville, where Hocevar had caused a crash that ruined Stenhouse’s race. They had a phone conversation after that incident, which Hocevar felt was productive and positive at the time. However, the second incident in Mexico City has clearly intensified tensions between them.
Meanwhile, Shane Van Gisbergen of Trackhouse Racing won the Mexico City race, showcasing his road course skills and securing a playoff spot. NASCAR will next return to the US for a race at Pocono Raceway, where Hocevar hopes the track’s unique tri-oval layout will suit his driving style and help him achieve his first Cup Series victory.
In summary, the Mexico City race incident between Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has sparked a significant rivalry, with Hocevar accepting blame for the contact and Stenhouse expressing strong anger and a vow for retribution once back in the US. Hocevar’s struggles with his car and the resulting poor finishes have added to the drama surrounding their ongoing conflict.
