Carson Hocevar’s notorious reputation seems to have finally caught up with him. The 21-year-old rookie took most of the blame for an incident at the Brickyard 400 that caused Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson to retire early. Recently fined $50,000 and docked 25 points for spinning Harrison Burton under caution, Hocevar has faced intense backlash for his aggressive driving style.
Despite this, Kevin Harvick recently defended Hocevar on the Happy Hour podcast, siding with the Spire Motorsports driver for the incident at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Kevin Harvick Defends Carson Hocevar’s Brickyard 400 Incident
The controversial incident happened during the Lap 109 caution restart when Hocevar collided with Ryan Blaney in Turn 1, setting off a chain reaction. Blaney’s No. 12 Ford clipped Jimmie Johnson’s No. 84 Toyota, which then hit Joey Logano, causing both to crash into the wall and retire early. The incident sparked outrage among some drivers frustrated with Hocevar’s on-track behavior.
Harvick defended Hocevar, stating on the podcast, “I don’t think Hocevar is doing anything wrong. He’s in the middle of the track, and the 12 comes down on him. But with so many guys frustrated with Hocevar, it’ll always be his fault. He’s in the middle of a lot of things, which comes with time. Learning when to stick your nose in, when to not, and when to hit or not hit a guy. But his reputation precedes him at this point.”
Hocevar’s reputation stems from various incidents dating back to his Truck Series days, including hooking Taylor Gray at Martinsville, clashing with Corey Heim at Phoenix Raceway, and spinning Ty Gibbs at the same track in 2023. His history has overshadowed his talent, and the only way for Hocevar to overcome this is by racing cleanly and changing how his fellow racers perceive him.
With NASCAR entering a mini-break during the Olympics, drivers and fans hope Hocevar will return to Richmond Raceway with a better attitude. After the Indianapolis race, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, and Noah Gragson criticized Hocevar for his role in the Lap 109 collision. Kevin Harvick believes Hocevar’s mistakes will ultimately benefit him, stating, “A lot of this comes with your rookie year. When you’re focused on going fast, you’ll have these moments. He’s in a character-building year.”
With four races remaining in the regular season, Hocevar aims to finish strongly. Currently ranked 24th in the driver standings with two top-ten results and one DNF, he needs to race cleanly and finish in the top 20 to change his reputation. He has the talent to make it happen.
