Carson Hocevar Says He Was ‘Just Having Fun’ After Austin Cindric Martinsville Incident

Austin Cindric wasn't laughing after his run-in with Carson Hocevar at Martinsville Speedway. Hocevar, however, had a considerably different interpretation of what happened.

The Spire Motorsports driver defended his actions following Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500, insisting the contact that left Cindric with a badly damaged race car was simply part of short-track racing.

And despite the frustration coming from the Team Penske camp, Hocevar maintained that the two drivers were just having fun.

Carson Hocevar Responds to Austin Cindric Incident

The trouble unfolded just past the 200-lap mark as Cindric battled Hocevar for position. Cindric repeatedly made contact with the rear of Hocevar's No. 77 Chevrolet after Hocevar appeared to slow abruptly in front of him.

The resulting damage was extensive. Cindric's No. 2 Ford suffered significant front-end damage, ultimately forcing him out of the race and leaving him 36th in the finishing order. Hocevar continued and finished 21st.

Asked by NBC whether the contact was intentional, Hocevar rejected the suggestion.

"No, I don't know, I got lost there for a second," Hocevar initially said.

When pressed further, he offered a more detailed explanation.

"No, I mean, I got full throttled here in the spring and I just think it's Martinsville. I had a lot of fun and I think me and Austin have raced each other really well, or at least I've been pointed him by a lot – his cars have been really fast. So, no, I just think that's just Martinsville and I think we were just having fun."

Hocevar's explanation was a far cry from how Cindric viewed the incident, particularly given the damage it caused.

Austin Cindric Had a Much Different Reaction

Cindric made his frustration clear over the team radio as the contact unfolded.

"NASCAR, what are we doing? Like, we're just weaponizing cars here. I stack on entry with the guy and he has a mental breakdown," Cindric said.

The exchange also raised questions about whether Hocevar had deliberately slowed in front of Cindric. Onboard footage showed repeated braking as Cindric closed on the No. 77.

Hocevar continued to defend his driving during a subsequent media session, describing the contact as ordinary Martinsville racing rather than something personal.

"I just felt like it was normal Martinsville racing," he said. "Everybody's trying to move people."

He acknowledged that drivers were going to make contact while fighting for position, particularly on restarts at a track where passing rarely comes easily.

That explanation may not offer Cindric much comfort. His afternoon ended in the garage, while Hocevar was able to finish the race.

For Hocevar, it was another afternoon of aggressive short-track racing. For Cindric, it was a costly encounter that he clearly didn't find nearly as entertaining.