Although Carson Hocevar made no attempt over the weekend to reach out to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. following their run-in at Nashville Superspeedway — as confirmed by Stenhouse himself — a NASCAR insider hinted that the Spire Motorsports driver has begun damage control.
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While Hocevar stopped short of accepting full responsibility, he acknowledged the learning curve that comes with being a 22-year-old still finding his footing in the NASCAR Cup Series and grappling with how best to navigate tense on-track moments.
According to a recent post by SiriusXM NASCAR Radio host Danielle Trotta, Hocevar addressed the incident during his appearance on their podcast, striking the right chords amid a firestorm of scrutiny surrounding the Nashville clash.
Trotta highlighted Hocevar’s remarks: “We don’t wanna put any more targets on my back. I feel bad, I’ve texted Ricky if he wants to talk again Michigan we can. I didn’t want to wreck him I thought he’d run the middle and he came all the way down and I got in his LR.”
“Maybe in that situation with Ricky, I’d change some things but I’m not gonna change who I am I’m still gonna put my car in the best spot I can to win. I’m just learning when to and when not to. I don’t wanna change or lose my edge I just need to smooth the edges a bit.”
Yet, the fan base remains sharply split. While some applauded Hocevar for defending his competitive edge, others argue this isn’t his first brush with reckless conduct — pointing to a trail that stretches from his days in the Truck Series to his current Cup campaign. For many, the jury’s still out on whether growth will follow the wreckage, or if history is simply repeating itself.
One fan remarked, “Glad he didn’t take the whole blame. Ricky crowded him. Sometimes Motorsport fans forget what happens when two racing lines meet. Goofy to say it was intentional.”
Another supporter of Hocevar noted, “This is so real, if Carson keeps this mentality, the edges will smooth and he will be better for it. He’s still a second-year driver with a low-end program. He’s far exceeding expectations.”
Carson Hocevar just said all the right things to us post Ricky & Nashville @SiriusXMNASCAR
• We don’t wanna put anymore targets on my back. I feel bad, I’ve texted w Ricky if he wants to talk again Michigan we can.
• I didn’t want to wreck him I thought he’d run the…
— Danielle Trotta (@DanielleTrotta) June 4, 2025
However, not all voices struck the same chord. Some leaned in favor of Stenhouse Jr., taking a jab at the Spire Motorsports driver with a curt observation: “Saying and doing are 2 different things….”
One fan called out the mode of apology altogether, questioning Hocevar’s approach: “Why text? Why call? Yea this aint the 90s i get it.When Dale wrecked Rusty they didnt text or even talk. Man handle it on the track- the Hell with feeling like you got call an say im sorry after the fact.Dont say anything— handle it on the track.”
The incident that started the whole discussion happened on lap 106 at Nashville, when Hocevar tagged the rear bumper of Stenhouse Jr.’s #47 Chevy, sending it hard into the turn 4 wall. The impact proved race-ending, making Stenhouse Jr. the first retiree of the event and relegating him to a 39th-place finish.
What adds fuel to the fire is the déjà vu element — this marks the second straight year Hocevar has found himself at the center of controversy in Music City. Last year, NASCAR penalized him 25 points and handed down a $50,000 fine for spinning Harrison Burton under caution in the very same race.
