Corey Heim, the newest winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, made his feelings about Carson Hocevar clear. While the defending Craftsman Truck Series champion does not hate the driver of the No. 77, he is not cutting him any slack on the racetrack.
In last Sunday’s Cup Series race at San Diego, Heim made contact with Hocevar with 10 laps to go for second place, sending the latter spinning and out of contention. Heim went on to win the race, his first Cup victory in his 13th start.
Amid some social media barbs at each other earlier this week, Heim’s beef with Hocevar stems from the 2023 Craftsman Truck Series championship race. While battling for the championship lead, contact with Hocevar that sent Heim spinning ended his title hopes.
Heim would later retaliate against Hocevar, costing him his respective championship win.
Heim on Hocevar rivalry: ‘He wiped me out for a championship’
Heim was a recent guest on “The Gluckcast” hosted by motorsports reporter Jeff Gluck. The driver of the No. 67 on how true the “bad blood” is between himself and Hocevar.
Heim said Sunday’s move was unintentional, but given their history, he did not carry any guilt about what happened.
“At the end of the day, he wiped me out for a championship, so I’m always going to have to kind of hold that grudge against him. I obviously didn’t take that very well and I wrecked him back that day. I didn’t have any intent to turn him around backwards on Sunday, but when he was sitting there looking at me spinning out, I wasn’t mad at it either,” Heim said.
Heim lost respect for Hocevar as a driver after the 2023 truck race incident.
However, Heim does not hate Hocevar as a person, but does not plan on giving him an inch when they are on the racetrack.
“I lost a lot of respect for him in a race car that day. I don’t hate him as a person or anything. I’m not going to walk up to him at a grocery store and try to fight him or nothing, but I’m never going to cut him any slack,” Heim said.
Heim on the future rivalry with Hocevar: ‘I think it’ll be fun to watch’
With Hocevar still early in his Cup career and Heim moving up to full-time Cup competition next year, this rivalry will surely be one to watch.
Although Heim said he is not sitting around “pissed off” about Hocevar all the time, he knows the Spire Motorsports driver is going to be a tough pass every time he is out on the racetrack.
In the coming years, Heim believes it will be enjoyable to watch himself and Hocevar go at it.
“I think it’ll be fun to watch. I don’t foresee it getting crazy at Chicago in my next race or anything. I just think we’re not going to give each other an inch and maybe occasionally slip up and, you know, cause an incident,” Heim said.
NASCAR: Corey Heim Holding Grudge Against Carson Hocevar