Carson Hocevar’s runner-up finish via a controversial hit on Ricky Stenhouse Jr. shaped a core narrative of Sunday’s race at Nashville. It drew ire from fans and drivers like Denny Hamlin. Even his own team co-owner publicly disapproved of the maneuver, calling it unnecessary. And now, Stenhouse himself has spoken about it.
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With no attempt made by Hocevar to reach out or accept fault, Stenhouse noted in his conversation with RJ Starcevic that when in the wrong, most drivers, including himself, don’t waste time before picking up the phone. But if they don’t feel remorse, they simply keep it moving.
He said, “No, I’ve not got a call from him [Hocevar]. So, I’ve talked to his owner. Jeff Dickerson and I are super tight. So, no, I haven’t got a call from him. So, to my point, he doesn’t really care about it, which is fine if that’s the ground he wants to stand on, and that’s completely fine.”
Stenhouse did finish by sending out a warning: “But definitely, [it] will be something I won’t forget. And if I don’t hear from him by the weekend, I’ll probably confront him and we’ll figure it out.”
On Sunday, immediately after the checkered flag, Stenhouse had signaled unfinished business. “Bummed our day ended like that. Definitely will have something to do about it at one point,” he vowed.
No call yet from Carson Hocevar yet to Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Watch full episode now -> https://t.co/UooJDmackA#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/oW6bZlUhbN
— RJ Starcevic (@RJStarcevic) June 4, 2025
Rather than shoulder the blame or extend an olive branch, Hocevar downplayed the incident, framing it as a routine move he’s seen others make, and claiming Stenhouse happened to be the driver closest to his bumper. In doing so, he overlooked the broader implications. His contact sent Stenhouse into the wall, relegated him to a last-place finish, and snapped a consistent run of results inside the top 25.
It also marked Hocevar’s second straight year at Nashville embroiled in controversy. Last season, NASCAR penalized him 25 points and fined him $50,000 for spinning Harrison Burton under caution.
Hocevar’s co-owner is not happy with his move
From Carson Hocevar’s team co-owner, Jeff Dickerson’s vantage point, letting Stenhouse back in line would have cost his driver nothing. On top of that, with a personal bond shared between Dickerson and Stenhouse, the unnecessary aggression on Hocevar’s part struck a nerve.
Dickerson didn’t pull any punches when addressing the move. Speaking candidly on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, he said, “Here’s what I said. Man, you didn’t need to do that. You just didn’t need to do that.”
The Spire Motorsports co-owner suggested that Hocevar, still green in the sport, hadn’t yet grasped the value of accountability, or that there’s nothing uncool about owning up to wrecking someone’s race. He went further, acknowledging Stenhouse’s reputation for not simply retaliating with a bump, but for returning fire with fire, capable of “beating the hell out” when provoked.
In short, even within his own camp, there’s recognition that Hocevar not only derailed Stenhouse’s playoff bid but may have also lit the fuse on a grudge that could very well explode before season’s end.
