Spire Motorsports has suspended driver Carson Hocevar for the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The suspension comes after a controversial incident at Martinsville involving Hocevar and Austin Cindric.
Justin Haley will fill-in for Hocevar behind the wheel of the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. Because this Sunday’s Cup Series race is the final 2026, Hocevar’s season has come to a premature end.
Spire Motorsports Parks Carson Hocevar For Homestead Cup Race
During Stage 2 of Sunday’s Xfinity 500, Hocevar and Cindric were racing nose-to-tail. Hocevar, who was running in front of Cindric, brake checked the driver of the No. 2 multiple times. The damage was significant enough to take Cindric out of the race.
Jeff Dickerson, owner of Spire Motorsports, put out a statement on the matter Tuesday. Dickerson said while it could be easy to leave the decision up to NASCAR to penalize Hocevar with a fine or by taking points away, the organization believes in respect.
Therefore, after Hocevar’s actions at Martinsville, Dickerson made the call to suspend his driver.
“The way Carson conducted himself at Martinsville doesn’t meet the standard we set for our drivers, team members or employees, and there are consequences for that. That doesn’t mean we don’t love him and support him.”
“Racing at the Cup level is a privilege, and it comes with an expected level of professionalism from everyone who represents Spire Motorsports. We’ll go to Homestead united and compete as an organization. After that, we can get ready for Daytona in February with the right mindset to contend for a championship.”
The Martinsville incident involving Cindric has not been the first time Hocevar has been at the center of controversy this season.
Among the on-track incidents include the Chase opener at Darlington. Racing with Brad Keselowski, Hocevar got into the back of the driver of the No. 6 and turned him around.
After the race, Keselowski sounded off on Hocevar by saying “his day is coming.”
In the Chase race at Bristol, Hocevar was racing for the second position with Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney late in the race. The two made contact, sending Blaney crashing into the wall.
After the race, the two came to blows in a wild fistfight on pit road.
Hocevar’s aggressive driving style is one that many fans have embraced but his competitors have denounced. At least in the Martinsville instance, it was too much for his team to not punish him for.
Justin Haley to Fill In For Carson Hocevar at Homestead
With Hocevar sidelined for the season-finale race, Spire Motorsports needed a driver to fill the No. 77 Chevrolet. Justin Haley, who competes for Spire in the Craftsman Truck Series, will be behind the wheel this Sunday.
Haley formerly competed for Spire at the Cup level. He delivered the team its first Cup win in a rain-shortened victory at Daytona in July 2019.
Haley was bumped out of the Spire Motorsports No. 7 car prior to this season and replaced by Daniel Suarez. However, he remained in the organization at the Truck Series level and fields the No. 16 Dodge Ram in the manufacturer’s first season back since 2012.
Carson Hocevar Suspended by Spire Motorsports For NASCAR Cup Finale at Homestead