Carson Hocevar brake-checked Austin Cindric repeatedly at the NASCAR Martinsville Speedway Xfinity 500 on Sunday, wrecking the nose of the No. 2 Ford and ending Cindric’s day, according to a report by NASCAR writer Joseph Srigley.
The Spire Motorsports driver already has a long file of run-ins with Cup rivals, and this one came in the final race before the championship event, leaving open how NASCAR will respond.
Hocevar spun on his own in Stage 2 and radioed that his car was “undrivable.” On the next restart, he brake-checked Cindric on the front stretch, did it again exiting Turn 2 and delivered a third check that Team Penske’s driver could not absorb, according to Racing News.
Cindric’s crew pulled the hood off the car on pit road before he rolled to the garage for extensive repairs and an early exit.
“He just threw a temper tantrum,” Cindric said over the radio.
Reporter Deb Williams placed the decisive brake-check on lap 214, and video from Cindric’s point of view spread widely online. Reports counted three to five attempts over roughly five laps.
Ahead of the race, NASCAR removed a large foam block from short-track noses to discourage hard bumper-tagging, according to Racing News. Journalist Jeff Gluck noted that two Penske cars took nose-destroying brake-checks on the day, with Josh Berry doing the same to Ryan Blaney.
One observer noted that Cindric had earlier made contact with Hocevar, and some commentators framed the brake-checks as retaliation. Reaction was largely critical, with many calling the repeated checks unacceptable or worthy of a suspension, though some defended Hocevar’s aggressive style while condemning this action. Hocevar had not commented as the race continued.
Carson Hocevar’s History of Controversial Incidents
Hocevar’s reputation for contact predates the Cup Series. In 2023, he drew a two-lap penalty at Martinsville for trying to right-hook Truck Series rival Taylor Gray.
In 2024 at Nashville, NASCAR fined him $50,000 and docked 25 points for spinning Harrison Burton under caution. In 2025 at the Charlotte Roval, he locked up his brakes and slammed into Cindric, all but ending Cindric’s playoff chances.
“I don’t think it was intentional,” Cindric said, as quoted by EssentiallySports.
On Sept. 19 at Bristol Motor Speedway, contact from Hocevar sent Ryan Blaney into the Turn 1 wall. After the race, Blaney approached Hocevar’s car, Hocevar landed punches, and Blaney came back for a swing of his own.
NASCAR issued no penalties to either driver. “What we are going to encourage is passion,” NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell said on Kevin Harvick’s “Happy Hour” podcast. Hocevar said that night he understood Blaney’s anger.
Carson Hocevar’s Feuds and Off-Track Trouble
Hocevar’s feud with Zane Smith boiled over Oct. 18 at Phoenix Raceway, where Smith rammed the back of Hocevar’s car on the cool-down lap. NASCAR fined Smith $50,000 following a hauler meeting over a summer run-in at Chicagoland.
The feud is “pretty one-sided,” Hocevar said, as quoted by NASCAR.com, adding that he does not care.
Spire Motorsports fined Hocevar $50,000 and ordered sensitivity training after Hocevar called Mexico City a vulgar name on a Twitch livestream before the 2025 race there, according to The Athletic. He later apologized.
NASCAR Carson Hocevar Controversy Erupts After Austin Cindric Incident