Carson Hocevar fined $50k over livestream remarks about Mexico

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Spire Motorsports handed a $50,000 fine to NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar over remarks he made on a livestream about Mexico.

Spire fined Hocevar “after a thorough internal review” of remarks he made Saturday about the NASCAR weekend in Mexico City.

“This whole experience, if the travel was better, if getting here was easier, if you felt safer getting to and from everywhere. Um, if it wasn’t such a s-ithole, if the track limits were a little better enforced, if it was going to be a little better of a race and it didn’t feel so locked down, it’d be a great experience. You take all of that out, it’s a great experience. It’s great,” Hocevar said.

The team is effectively docking $50,000 from Hocevar’s pay over the remarks — instead divvying it up to these community organizations in Mexico:

• Cruz Roja Mexicana (Mexican Red Cross)
  • Provides humanitarian and medical relief across Mexico
• Un Kilo de Ayuda
  • Nonprofit combating childhood malnutrition and supporting early childhood development in rural communities
• Fondo Unido Mexico (United Way Mexico)
  • Funding local nongovernment organizations that improve education, health and housing in 22 Mexican states

Spire Motorsports also stated Hocevar’s actions aren’t consistent of their “core value of RESPECT”:

“Respect is not a slogan. It is a daily expectation that we ‘walk the walk’ in how we speak, compete and serve the communities that welcome our sport. Carson Hocevar’s recent comments made during the livestream fell short of that standard. They did not represent the views of Spire Motorsports, our partners or NASCAR. He has acknowledged his mistake publicly and his prompt, sincere apology demonstrated public accountability.”

Hocevar will also have to go through cultural-sensitivity and bias-awareness training.

Spire stated NASCAR confirmed the team-imposed penalties “satisfies the sanctioning body’s requirements.” They also stated they came up with the penalties “in close consultation” with the sanctioning body.

In response to the penalties, Hocevar posted the following on social media:

“Whoa everybody, the truth is the truth.  I said something that not only was wrong, I said it without even laying my own two eyes on CDMX or turning one lap in an actual race at an amazing facility that welcomed me with open arms and I go and say that? Thank you for the support but I’m not sure we’re on the same page. You guys want me to be me?  It was me who said it and it was me who apologized after actually taking the time to explore the city and feel the passion of every fan in attendance.

I appreciate the opportunity to learn and I knew before this weekend what respect means to this organization and I didn’t meet the standard so I got what I deserved.  I hate learning these lessons in the public eye and bringing any negative attention to Spire or me.  We’ve been fast just about every week and I’m sure I have plenty of mistakes left in me.  I appreciate growing up in front of all of you and you guys get to see the good and the bad.  I’m just me.  I’m trying. It just doesn’t always go the way I want and I bring a lot of this on myself.  However, I love being in this garage, with this team surrounded by the best drivers and fans in the world.  See you in Pocono.”

On the track, Hocevar’s trip to Mexico City was no better. He spun multiple times in the 100-lap Cup race, including on lap 66 when he triggered a caution that inadvertently changed the course of the race. Then, while running a lap down in the final green-flag run, Hocevar overdrove his car going into the stadium section. He crashed into none other than Ricky Stenhouse Jr. — his rival from Nashville who was running on the lead lap.

Locked into a tight playoff bubble battle where every point counts, especially on a day like Sunday when Shane van Gisbergen won and moved the cutline further away, Stenhouse lost five points just because of the incident.

“He’s lucky we’re not in the States or else I’d beat his a-s,” said Stenhouse, who spectacularly made good on a promise to confront a driver at the 2024 NASCAR All-Star Race.

After finishing 11th in the three races ago in the Coca-Cola 600, Stenhouse was 13th in the championship points standings, +17 points to the cutline. Now, after losing 21 points just from two crashes with Hocevar, Stenhouse is 21st, -61 to the cutline.

With just 10 races left in the regular season, Stenhouse is starting to feel the pinch of having nothing to lose and a vengeance to quench. In essence, the $50,000 fine may be just the first punishment for Hocevar.

Hocevar sits one point and one position above Stenhouse. He is 20th in points with a 60-point deficit to the cutline.