Carson Hocevar made waves in Atlanta last week with his aggressive driving. The 22-year-old driver fought hard, refusing to back down even against some of NASCAR’s biggest names. His bold moves earned him a second-place finish in the Cup race, but they also made him a target. Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, and Ross Chastain were all vocal about their frustration with Hocevar.
Despite the backlash, Hocevar showed no signs of remorse. “We’re here to win races. Not be a boy band,” he said after the race. His unapologetic attitude only added to the controversy. But sometimes, karma has a way of balancing things out. At the newly revamped Circuit of The Americas (COTA), Hocevar became the first victim of the shortened and repaved track.
Carson Hocevar reveals the biggest reason behind the COTA crash!
Earlier this week, NASCAR veteran Garrett Smithley opted out of the COTA race, considering his poor record on the road course. He heaped praise on Carson Hocevar as his team expected the Cup driver to excel in COTA, especially after his Atlanta heroics. However, fate had something else in its bucket. Hocevar entered the Xfinity race hoping to gain valuable experience before the Cup Series race. But just four laps into the race, his day ended in disaster.
While heading into a turn, a bump from Jeb Burton sent him into the newly built turn 6B. Hocevar locked up his tires before slamming nose-first into the tire barriers. Unable to restart his car, Hocevar had to be towed off the track, becoming the first driver to crash at the revamped COTA. Replays showed the contact was small, but it was enough to send Hocevar out of control. The irony? Burton later admitted he had no intention of giving Hocevar any room. “He wasn’t going to chop my nose again,” Burton said bluntly.
Just a week ago, Hocevar had been the aggressor. Now, he was the target. However, after the crash, Hocevar spoke to the broadcaster and revealed that his communication system wasn’t working, which led to the collision. “I couldn’t hear anything. I couldn’t get it to recycle or re-fire,” Hocevar said. Notably, the crash wasn’t just about driver aggression. COTA underwent major changes ahead of the 2025 season, making it an entirely different challenge for drivers.
Not the return to the #XfinitySeries that Carson Hocevar was looking for. pic.twitter.com/iFTa1o8mXA
— Xfinity Racing (@XfinityRacing) March 1, 2025
NASCAR shortened the track from 3.41 miles to 2.3 miles, removing the long back straightaway. The new layout forced drivers into tighter, more technical turns, increasing the likelihood of contact. Turns 6A and 6B—two of the newest additions—became trouble spots for several drivers. The repaving also played a role. Half of the track had fresh pavement, while the other half was worn down over the years. This led to inconsistent grip levels, catching drivers off guard.
Additionally, Goodyear has also come up with a new set of tires for this week’s event, which might have played a key role as many drivers complained about tire wear throughout the week. Notably, Hocevar’s crash happened in a section where the grip transition was particularly tricky. The combination of an unfamiliar layout and uneven pavement made for a chaotic race. However, Hocevar’s crash might also highlight how much he needs to understand his moves, which troubled others in Atlanta.
Hocevar finds support amid Atlanta chaos!
While many drivers were frustrated with Carson Hocevar, Mark Martin saw things differently. The former driver took to social media to support Hocevar, posting a series of tweets backing the young driver. However, his defence wasn’t just limited to social media. He actively tried to contact Hocevar, going as far as tracking down his phone number.
Ahead of the COTA weekend, Hocevar spoke about Martin and praised his move. “One of the most shocking [people who tried to contact me] was Mark Martin. He tried to hunt my phone number down and was tweeting and doing everything. Everyone that wants to be negative about it right, [but] the most respectful driver was giving me a lot of endorsement,” Hocevar told the media.
While Martin’s support meant a lot, he was not the only one to hold Hocevar’s hands. Dale Earnhardt Jr. also defended him. On his Dale Jr. Download podcast, he explained why NASCAR needed drivers like him. “The sport needs personalities. It needs things that stand out. It needs drivers that go against the norms. I think he actually is a good person. Now, when he drives a race car, he may get a little punky, a little bratty, a little, you know—but so do Logano and some other people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Carson Hocevar entered the Xfinity race looking to gain experience, but he left with a wrecked car and another lesson learned. However, he will have another opportunity to showcase his moves when he will start the Cup race on Sunday. He will start in the second row behind Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace, and Chase Elliott. A strong outing in Echo Park Automotive Grand Prix will surely shut down his doubters.
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