Ryan Blaney won the NASCAR Cup Series race last weekend at Nashville Superspeedway but the runner-up finisher was the topic of conversation instead.
Carson Hocevar.
In addition to matching his best career finish, he also made headlines for what happened earlier in the race when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. crashed off his front bumper, following some hard racing between them for several laps.
At first, Hocevar never called Stenhouse, with the industry seemingly predicting that there would be retaliation if it was diffused. Hocevar ran, and won, a big Super Late Model race at Berlin Raceway and finally texted Stenhouse leading to a conversation that eased the tension.
Stenhouse told SiriusXM Radio on Thursday that the conversation was productive and Hocevar feels like they landed in a good place too.
“Yeah, I mean it was productive,” Hocevar said. “You know, me and him both have the reputation, I guess, of being aggressive at times and everything. So at that one point, we both reminded each other that even with those reputations, we’ve raced each other very well together, right? It clashes together. So, yeah, I mean we’ve had no issues before, as he had said, and I feel like we’ve had a decent relationship leading up to this.
So, yeah, I thought it was productive and, based off his comments, I felt like it was received productive.”
But again, it’s been kind of a whirlwind week for Hocevar. Who has been at the center of every conversation this week — even more so than the winner.
“I forgot that we didn’t win the race,” Hocevar said with a laugh. “I forgot who won for a minute.”
Hocevar would rather be in the headlines for winning the race but also acknowledged that the headlines mean he is relevant and in contention in a way he only dreamed of as a kid growing up just hours west of where he will race this weekend at Michigan International Speedway.
“I mean, number one, it’s cool to just be talked about,” Hocevar said. “Obviously, you want to be talked about maybe in a different light. But I mean, at least they’re talking, right? And I think that’s big for me. And, you know, you consume it… you see it all.
“You know, as (Spire Motorsports team co-owner) Jeff Dickerson had mentioned before, he’s like, ‘we’re trying to like round the edges’ and then you have your like heroes texting you ‘just don’t change’ right? Jeff is like, ‘we do need at least some things to be a little different.’
“But yes, I mean, ultimately, it’s fun to obviously be in the news. It’s what I’ve dreamt of my whole life, which is just at least being a topic of conversation. Yes, I mean, it’s cool from that aspect. But you know, obviously, you want to be it when you just dominate a Cup race, and they can’t stop talking about that.”
He says that is his next goal even if he thinks it has been fun to be the main character of the week of sorts.
As luck would have it, Stenhouse and Hocevar are next to each other in the championship standings now so they were parked next to each other in the garage area at Michigan too. So one way or the other, they were going to talk this week but Hocevar was glad to get it out of the way early.
“He owns a sprint car team, so he’s one of the first drivers I’ll go talk to just because I want to ask him about his sprint car team,” Hocevar said. “So, you know, we’ve had that relationship, right? So, I mean, it’s not too hard to call. You just pick up the phone and call.
“I don’t get nervous a whole lot or awkward… sometimes I am awkward, but I don’t get nervous or anything before those calls, especially when I feel like it’s warranted. You see these guys 38 weekends, so it’s either you call them or you see them here. It’s probably just easier if you just move that timeline up. That’s really the biggest thing.”
Lastly, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Hocevar reminds him a little of his father, very early in his career before he was a seven-time champion.
“I mean, if I win seven championships,” Hocevar said. “But, you know, if you’re going to get compared to one guy, that’s the guy, endorsements from Dale Jr. and everybody. But I don’t think I’m ‘new’ anything, you know, I think I’m ‘new’ me.
“Everything about me is real… like I’m not trying to play a part, try to fit a role or trying to pretend to be anybody. But, you know, it’s for everybody else to decide on what they get and perceive of me. I know who I am and, you know, ultimately, I want to be known as me and sometimes that leads to comparisons.”
