HAMPTON, Ga. — A meeting in the NASCAR hauler on Saturday, June 11 didn’t seem to do much to resolve the beef between Cup Series drivers Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar.
Ahead of the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway just south of Atlanta, both drivers met with NASCAR officials in a closed-door meeting on Saturday following an incident at Chicagoland Speedway last weekend where Smith seemingly wrecked Hocevar intentionally. Smith then followed that up by going on a podcast — the popular “Bussin’ With the Boys” — where he called Hocevar a “bum” and a “coward.”
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Smith doubled down on his disdain for the driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet while speaking to reporters after qualifying on Saturday, hours after the meeting with Hocevar and NASCAR higher-ups.
“I just don’t like him as a human,” Smith said. “I think we both understand where we’re at with everything, but yeah, certainly the meeting doesn’t change how much he dislikes me and how much I dislike him.”
Hocevar was much less serious in his recounting of the meeting, smiling and laughing with a nonchalant demeanor while taking questions from reporters.
“It was funny. I don’t know. I didn’t even understand the big deal — we’re just racing,” Hocevar said. “I’ve never gotten called to the hauler after getting wrecked. I don’t know. It’s funny. It just just seemed like a racing deal.
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“We’ll have to go to couples counseling, I’m sure, at some point.”
The 23-year-old Hocevar has garnered notoriety around the NASCAR garage for being a bit reckless and at times overly aggressive on the racetrack. It’s an approach that has earned him some impressive finishes, like his win earlier this season at Talladega. His style has also led to racing legend Richard Petty comparing Hocevar to Dale Earnhardt.
But it also hasn’t made Hocevar many friends in the Cup Series. After sending Hocevar spinning on his way to a win at Naval Base Coronado, Corey Heim said he’s always going to have a “grudge” against Hocevar after he wrecked Heim while he was competing for the Truck Series championship in 2023.
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Hocevar was also pulled aside by Bubba Wallace after triggering a chain-reaction that resulted in a multi-car crash at Michigan. Asked on Saturday by USA TODAY Sports if that conversation had resonated with Hocevar, Wallace shrugged.
“Maybe. I don’t know if he’s done any bonehead moves lately. It hasn’t cost me any spots. I seen him and Zane Smith get into it last week,” Wallace said. “What’s weird is, it’s when he’s having really good days… If you can understand, when you’re running really good, don’t mess it up, like, you’re going to get a good finish.”
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At Chicagoland, Smith ran into the back of Hocevar in Turn 2 during the 32nd lap and wrecked himself in the process. Hocevar finished 22nd while Smith wound up 28th.
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Hocevar was happy that Smith wasn’t disciplined for the incident, alluding to it sorting itself out on the racetrack.
“I think that’s what drives sports is passion and clashing. It’s good… I was hoping they didn’t penalize him. That’d be really soft of the sport,” Hocevar said. “I was unbothered. He wasn’t really a factor on my mind and still isn’t.
“I mean, have you seen me race? I don’t want to be a hypocrite here. Game on.”
Smith, the driver of the No. 38 Ford for Front Row Motorsports, was asked if he could race around Hocevar without trouble.
“No,” Smith said. “Like Nashville, just as soon as we’re around each other, he just runs into me and then points me by, and then talks crap to the media, and I don’t know, that’s as a goon in my opinion… He might act like a tough guy, but he won’t even look you in the eye. So, that’s not a tough guy.”
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Hocevar, searching for his second win of the season, qualified 14th for Sunday’s race at EchoPark Speedway. Smith, who has yet to win a Cup Series race so far in his career, will start in 34th.
Smith and Hocevar weren’t the only drivers called to the NASCAR hauler on Saturday. Shane van Gisbergen and Austin Hill also had a closed-door meeting with the sport’s officials.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Feud between NASCAR drivers Carson Hocevar, Zane Smith seems far from over
