HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) — Carson Hocevar may have finally felt the burn.
Hocevar, who was suspended for the NASCAR Cup Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway for his on-track actions last week, used the analogy of touching a stove to learn how hot it is during his 20-minute media availability Friday.
Hocevar, 23, made the trip to Homestead to meet sponsors and fans and essentially reiterate his apology for intentionally and repeatedly brake-checking
Austin Cindric on a restart at Martinsville Speedway. It was the latest in a season filled with menacing issues for Hocevar, who has been fined a combined $250,000 by NASCAR and his team, Spire Motorsports.
NASCAR fined Hocevar $100,000 for his altercation with Cindric at Martinsville. Spire suspended him for the race.
“Maybe the stove wasn’t hot enough yet," Hocevar said. "I’ll keep my hand on it until it finally burned my hand. It’s pretty burned. ... Ultimately, it’s not the fines. It’s the actions that come with the funds.
"To a millionaire or a billionaire, what’s a parking ticket? ’Screw it. I’m just going to park here no matter what it is.' So, ultimately, the burn is me not driving.”
Hocevar initially denied brake-checking Cindric on purpose, a response that raised eyebrows around the series and prompted Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson to say “our integrity matters” while handing down the punishment.
Justin Haley will replace Hocevar in the No. 77 Chevrolet in the finale.
“It definitely sucks," Hocevar said. "I think it would be easy for me to look at Spire and Jeff and everybody, and go, ‘They’re just wrong. I’m just going to get back in the car at Daytona.’ But I’m in full support of them, and I wanted to make sure I was here with the team and in merch trailer and doing everything I want to do.
“I lost the keys to my car for the weekend. I did not lose the ability to be here, and it’s a privilege to be here.”
Hocevar said he wanted to show his support for the decision and get the most out of the lesson Dickerson and Spire are hoping will land.
“There’s a way to go and be understanding of it and still care and see the lesson rather than be sad or upset or angry,” he said. "I made the decision. I forced their decision. It’s not anybody else’s doing. I did this.”
Hocevar, driving in his third full season for Spire, made the 16-team playoff field but has since been eliminated from the championship chase. He currently ranks 12th.
“Our job is to encourage drivers to be themselves," NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell said. "We talked about sponsorship. There is a balance there; we recognize that balance. But what we’re seeing is the more drivers are themselves, the more they let people in with their personality, the more they’re going to be recognized, the more fan engagement we have.
“Carson Hocevar, there’s certainly some challenges, right? But I like what he brings to the fan base in terms of going out, meeting with fans, talking. Does he have some things to work on on the track? Absolutely. We’ve talked about that, and we all know where that stands.”
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