It’s become increasingly clear that Ryan Preece is not Carson Hocevar’s biggest fan.
While the two drivers have had some negative encounters on the racetrack before, things came to a boiling point once again in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event at Texas Motor Speedway, after a late-race crash collected both the No. 60 and No. 77.
Here’s what happened with Hocevar, Ware and Preece:#NASCAR | @TXMotorSpeedway pic.twitter.com/RxhVL2fbhU
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 4, 2025
Both drivers were running at the tail-end of the top-20 when the incident happened, and were attempting to drive back through the field, after getting the wrong end of a caution during a green-flag pit cycle.
The wreck was triggered at the exit of Turn 2, when Hocevar washed up the racetrack into the side of Preece, putting both drivers into the outside wall. In the aftermath of the incident, Cody Ware was also collected.
“These cautions just keep coming!” Ryan Preece, Carson Hocevar and Cody Ware involved in this yellow. #NASCARonFS1 pic.twitter.com/lCKInWIoMU
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 4, 2025
After returning to the NASCAR Cup Series garage with a battered No. 60 Sara Lee Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Preece spoke to members of the media and was not pleased at all about what happened on the racetrack.
“He just seems to be proving me right over and over again,” Preece spouted. “Fast racecar, unlucky on the pit cycle, we were doing things right and coming back through, just got run into the fence by somebody that has no respect for his equipment, anybody else’s equipment, and any other driver out there. He’ll have his day.”
This isn’t the first run-in that Preece and Hocevar have at on the racetrack, either.
Back in 2022, during the NASCAR Truck Series event at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Preece and Hocevar had contact while battling for the lead, resulting in both of them crashing, and an incredible post-race soundbite from Ryan Preece.
Carson Hocevar, talking to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports after the race, took full blame for the incident and apologized to Preece and his RFK Racing crew.
“Just got in there and started to slide up, and he got the right-rear, and I was already crossing somebody’s wake and got tight from him on my door and the car in front,” said Hocevar.”I mean I’m out of the gas, have wheel, and I just didn’t predict to be in that spot and have to change directions. You have to predict it, and I just didn’t predict that he would get there, if I’m being honest. That’s on me, I mean, I wrecked myself.”
While Ryan Preece would be ruled out of the Würth 400 as a result of the incident and finish 29th, Hocevar would continue on in the race, finishing one lap down in 24th.
