Spire suspends Carson Hocevar for NASCAR's season finale at Homestead
Spire Motorsports has benched driver Carson Hocevar for Sunday's NASCAR Cup finale, ESPN and Frontstretch report. ESPN says he was accused of brake-checking Austin Cindric in a race at Martinsville. Hocevar has denied doing it on purpose, but in a statement he said he “crossed the line” and let his team down.
Spire Motorsports has suspended Carson Hocevar for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, ESPN and Frontstretch report. Justin Haley will drive the team's No. 77 car in his place, Frontstretch reports.
The move follows last Sunday's race at Martinsville Speedway. Hocevar was accused of intentionally brake-checking Austin Cindric after a restart, ESPN reports. Frontstretch says Hocevar allegedly slowed in front of Cindric several times and knocked him out of the race with damage. Cindric finished 36th, with the front end of his No. 2 Ford destroyed, ESPN reports.
Cindric radioed his team that Hocevar “had a mental breakdown,” ESPN reports.
Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson said the team chose to act on its own. “The easy thing would have been to leave this in NASCAR's hands and let them decide what any penalty should be,” he said in a statement carried by ESPN and Frontstretch. “To us, however, this isn't about money or points. We believe in respect.”
“The way Carson conducted himself at Martinsville doesn't meet the standard we set for our drivers, team members or employees, and there are consequences for that,” Dickerson said, Frontstretch reports.
Hocevar has denied hitting Cindric on purpose, ESPN reports. After the race, he said he “got lost there for a second,” according to ESPN.
On Tuesday, Hocevar apologized in a statement. “This is an embarrassing day for me,” he said, Frontstretch reports. “I crossed the line with my on-track actions and gave Jeff and Spire Motorsports no option but to put someone else in the [No.] 77 car this weekend at Homestead.” He said he wants to come back in 2027 as “a better driver, competitor and teammate.”
Hocevar made the playoffs this season but was knocked out of the title race, ESPN reports. He is 12th in points, ESPN and Frontstretch report. Haley will make his first Cup start since he raced the full 2025 season for Spire, Frontstretch reports.
What we know: Spire benched Hocevar for the finale, and Haley will drive the No. 77 car.
What we don't: Whether NASCAR will add a penalty of its own.
Where outlets agree ESPN and Frontstretch, citing Spire's statement, agree that Hocevar is suspended for the finale over how he raced Cindric at Martinsville.
Where they differ ESPN reports that Hocevar was accused of brake-checking Cindric on purpose, while Hocevar denied hitting Cindric intentionally.