Following Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event at Kansas Speedway, NASCAR has issued a substantial penalty to Carson Hocevar.
Hocevar, the full-time driver of the No. 77 Delaware Life Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, has been assessed a $50,000 fine for his actions during the Hollywood Casino 400, which NASCAR has deemed to be inappropriate and in violation of Member Conduct Rules.
According to NASCAR, the infraction occurred following a late-race incident involving Hocevar, in which the Spire Motorsports driver got turned around on the backstretch, resulting in multiple tire flats and making it nearly impossible for the car to return to action.
Officials indicated that while the No. 77 was stationary on the backstretch, the Portage, Michigan-native began revving his engine and spinning his tires while trying to rejoin the field, which was pacing under the caution flag at this time. With the safety workers still in close proximity, NASCAR deemed this to be unsafe.
Thus, within the full bounds of the NASCAR Cup Series Rule Book, the sanctioning body elected to take action, assessing a penalty to Hocevar under the provisions of Sections 4.4.B and D: NASCAR Member Conduct.
Unfortunately for Hocevar, who has become a rather polarizing driver throughout his stint in NASCAR’s top-three series, this isn’t a one-off instance. In fact, since joining the NASCAR Cup Series at the start of 2024, the driver of the No. 77 has now recorded three behavioural penalties.
In two seasons as a Cup Series driver, Hocevar has amassed $150,000 in fines.
Following the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Hocevar was fined $50,000 by Spire Motorsports and required to attend sensitivity and cultural bias training after making disparaging comments about the Mexico City region, calling it a “shithole”.
Last Summer at Nashville Superspeedway, Hocevar was fined $50,000 (and docked 25 driver points) following a run-in with Harrison Burton, who at the time was driving for Wood Brothers Racing, under caution.
Neither Carson Hocevar nor Spire Motorsports has commented on the penalty assessed by NASCAR, as of the time of publishing this story.
