“Hope he gets the next Hendrick ride”: NASCAR world reacts to Spire penalizing Carson Hocevar with a $50,000 fine

Carson Hocevar has been fined $50,000 by Spire Motorsports for derogatory remarks he made about Mexico City during a livestream on Twitch. The penalty, which also includes mandatory cultural-sensitivity training, comes after the 22-year-old called the city a “s**thole” ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series’ first race in Mexico.

The fine triggered a strong wave of reactions across NASCAR social media circles. Many fans expressed their approval of Spire Motorsports’ disciplinary action, while others criticized what they viewed as an overreaction.

The remarks that led to the fine were made during a Twitch stream last Friday night, before the Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Carson Hocevar, competing in his sophomore Cup Series season, aired several complaints about the location, particularly regarding safety and logistics.

After the race, Spire issued a public statement detailing the penalty and clarifying that Hocevar’s comments did not reflect the team’s values or those of NASCAR. The same was shared on their X account, following which fan reactions came pouring in.

"Hope he gets the next Hendrick ride," one fan wrote.

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I hope he gets the next Hendrick ride

"Dude has to learn. Props to u guys," another user said.

"As a fan of Carson this is the best case scenario, he needed to be held accountable for what he said," read another reaction.

"I mean if he wasn’t having a good time why can’t he say that. truly why can’t he say his thoughts on the race and atmosphere from a drivers perspective," a user asked.

"Finally he’s getting some discipline for his actions," another fan commented.

"Can't say anything or do anything in this sport without getting fined anymore, unbelievable. If I were Carson Hocevar I wouldn't pay it," one person said.

Spire Motorsports also shared that the $50,000 fine will be split equally among three organizations supporting Mexican communities: the Mexican Red Cross, Un Kilo de Ayuda, and United Way Mexico. NASCAR approved the team-imposed sanctions, which also include cultural-sensitivity and bias-awareness training for Hocevar. The team stressed their core value of "RESPECT," and said that Hocevar’s actions fell short of that standard.

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Carson Hocevar responds to criticism after Mexico City remarks and incident with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Carson Hocevar has been in the spotlight not just for his livestream controversy but also for an on-track clash with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in Mexico City. After the race, Hocevar apologized for his comments and addressed the bump that sent Stenhouse spinning with just 19 laps to go.

Before the race, Carson Hocevar had described Mexico City in harsh terms on Twitch. He criticized the city’s infrastructure, travel conditions, and race organization, saying:

"If the travel was better, if getting here was easier, if you felt safer getting to and from everywhere, if it wasn’t such a s**thole, if the track limits were a little better enforced, it’d be a great experience."

But after finishing 34th, he looked back on the experience and posted a lengthy apology on X. He wrote,

“I was skeptical about the trip so far and believed everything I read or heard about Mexico City from people who more than likely also had never been here,” Carson Hocevar wrote. “Now that I’ve actually left my hotel a couple times and raced here in front of some of the most passionate fans I’ve ever seen, my opinion has changed.”

In the same post, Carson Hocevar made a joking reference to his run-in with Stenhouse Jr. He wrote,

“I may have to move here to hide out from Ricky anyway.”

He concluded his post by asking for forgiveness and saying that he hopes to be considered an ally by the Mexican fanbase. He also accepted the lesson he learned about not forming opinions based solely on hearsay. The Viva Mexico 250 marked another rough outing for Carson Hocevar, as he recorded his seventh finish outside the top-30 this season.