Carson Hocevar offered a more detailed explanation but did not come close to apologizing for what happened when he made contact with Brad Keselowski in the NASCAR Darlington race on Sept. 6.
Hocevar didn't have much to say after the race, in which he went from 34th to 11th, about the incident when he spun Keselowski out latein Stage 1. Only "He just spun."
Keselowski vowed retaliation after the race.
After taking more time to review what happened, Hocevar said on Sept. 9 that he and Keselowski had been racing hard for several laps coming to Turn 4. He said Keselowski was trying to block him, suggesting Keselowski was equally responsible for the contact.
NASCAR Darlington race
"Sometimes (expletive) happens," Hocevar said. "I wasn't trying to spin him out or wreck him, but I was trying to pass him and getting closer and closer, trying to pack air and make his life a little more difficult. Brad did a really good job of holding me off. I think Brad knew how aggressive he was being, racing super hard, trying to keep us behind him."
Intensity peaked before Carson Hocevar hit Brad Keselowski
Hocevar said what happened between him and Keselowski was not out of the norm when racing becomes as intense as it did at that point.
"After 10 or 15 laps of, not patience running out, because it sounds like I was just trying to turn him after 15 laps and I'm like, 'Alright, I'm done with you,'" Hocevar said. "It's more so of, when you're racing really, really tight, within an inch of each other ... it just starts to add to the intensity. Sometimes you just hit. I've been hit multiple times in races throwing blocks ... you just kind of open yourself up to that."
Carson Hocevar does kind care about what his critics say
Hocevar has been criticized for his aggressive style over the last few days. Jamie McMurray said on the latest episode of the Door Bumper Clear podcast that Hocevar is "in the bottom handful of racing IQ guys in the field. He just continues to make poor decisions."
Denny Hamlin said he would not talk about his feelings about Hocevar on Hamlin's Actions Detrimental podcast because he did not want to give him the attention that Hocevar craves.
Hocevar shrugged off the critiques, but admitted they could affect those he cares about.
"I just care what (Spire Motorsports co-owner) Jeff (Dickerson), the sponsors, and my team says," Hocevar said. "Whether their opinion changes because of what Brad or Denny or any of these guys think, that's relevant. That's all included. So then I do care. But I think ultimately, racing is a family sport and this is a family and I just care what my family thinks."
Carson Hocevar takes Brad Keselowski's threat seriously
Keselowski threatened payback after the race. He told Above the Yellow Line Media that "His day's coming and it's coming hard. Watch out Carson."
Lots of drivers over the years have issued those types of warnings, but few followed through. Hocevar believes this one could be different.
"I mean Corey Heim dumped me at San Diego. Zane (Smith) tried at Chicago," Hocevar said. "So I feel like people have gotten a shot off."
Hocevar said he has not spoken to Keselowski since the Darlington race.
"I don't like the BS apologies, and I think you just race," Hocevar said. "We're just both racing hard. I think he knew what he was doing. He's smart. He's won a championship. He knows how hard he's racing and trying to hold us off."
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What Carson Hocevar said about Brad Keselowski's threat and Denny Hamlin's podcast comments
