"Emotions were high": Carson Hocevar comments on Brad Keselowski's run-in at Watkins Glen

Carson Hocevar says emotions, not malice, drove his qualifying confrontation with Brad Keselowski at Watkins Glen. The Spire Motorsports driver and the 2012 Cup champion clashed in the final moments of Go Bowling at The Glen qualifying on Saturday, August 9, which spilled into a pit road exchange and required an intervention.

In the closing stages of qualifying, Hocevar felt Keselowski impeded his lap by letting him go in what he considered a bad spot. In return, Hocevar slowed in front of Keselowski on the latter's flying lap. Keselowski, believing it to be deliberate retaliation, parked his RFK Racing Ford, jumped out still wearing his helmet, and made a sprint toward Hocevar's No. 77.

Speaking ahead of Richmond, Hocevar explained the reason via Jeff Gluck on X:

"Emotions were high."

Jeff Gluck

@jeff_gluck

Notes from a @CarsonHocevar media session just now: -- -- Hasn't spoken to @Mc_Driver yet about their WGI run-in. He said McDowell suggested sitting down this weekend at Richmond to discuss it. Hocevar felt after he got spun by McDowell ("either he made a mistake or misjudged"), it was "plenty OK" to race really hard for the position at the end because it affected the qualifying order at Richmond (a track where the spot you go out matters a lot).​-- He isn't sure why @keselowski was so upset in qualifying, because Hocevar was upset with Keselowski first. Hocevar felt Keselowski impeded his qualifying lap first by letting him go in a bad spot -- so in his mind, he repaid the favor by "staying in line and had him go around me" on the cool-down lap with Keselowski on his flying lap, though he acknowledged "emotions were high."​-- He knew @ZaneSmith's tolerance level was going to be low on the last lap at WGI, so "if I could give that back in a spot that wasn't going to cost me anything, hopefully that mends a little bit of their race car getting wrecked (at Iowa) -- which wasn't intentional by any means."

Carson Hocevar also noted that the contact at Watkins Glen mattered to him because it influenced qualifying order at Richmond, a track where going out earlier or later can significantly affect lap times.

Both drivers moved on from their altercation on Sunday. Hocevar finished 18th, while Brad Keselowski led briefly before fading to 31st. The incident, however, added to Hocevar's growing reputation as a lightning rod for controversy.

Carson Hocevar (77) and Brad Keselowski (6) in the NASCAR Cup Series' Grant Park 165. Source: Getty

The Keselowski run-in came on the heels of lingering tension with former teammate Zane Smith. Their issues trace back to Iowa Speedway, where Hocevar lost control entering Turn 1, drifted up, and clipped Smith's left rear, ending the latter's strong run. At Watkins Glen, Hocevar made a point to ease tensions, giving Smith a position on the final lap.

"If I could give that back in a spot that wasn't going to cost me anything, hopefully that mends a little bit of their race car getting wrecked (at Iowa) — which wasn't intentional by any means," Hocevar added via Gluck.

Smith ultimately finished one spot ahead of Hocevar at The Glen. He also clarified about an earlier incident with Spire Motorsports teammate Michael McDowell in his media address.

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Carson Hocevar's turbulent 2025 season

Carson Hocevar on the 2023 NASCAR Championship 4 Media Day at Phoenix. Source: Getty

Carson Hocevar's 2025 NASCAR Cup Series has been punctuated by repeated clashes with fellow drivers. In Mexico City, he got tangled with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the second incident between the two in three weeks after wrecking him at Nashville, which led to an ugly altercation.

At Sonoma, in the Toyota Save/Mart 350, Hocevar spun late after contact from Josh Berry, this time on the receiving end. In the following weeks at Iowa, he made contact with Zane Smith and reignited criticism of his aggressive style. And this past weekend at Watkins Glen, a qualifying spat with Brad Keselowski and a run-in with teammate Michael McDowell capped off another contentious weekend.

Before the Watkins Glen race, Carson Hocevar even posted on X:

"I am currently watching all these wrecks. So I apologize. I feel guilty by association. Will do better moving forward."

That resolution didn't survive qualifying day.

Carson Hocevar (77) spins during the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350. Source: Getty

Hocevar has drawn frequent and controversial comparisons to Dale Earnhardt Sr. for his willingness to make enemies on track. Some in the garage see it as a manufactured persona, while others point to his lack of wins as proof that the approach isn't working. Dale Earnhardt Jr., on his podcast, recently said he's 'exhausted' from having to talk about the 22-year-old every other week.

Hocevar now heads into Saturday (August 16) night's Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET) looking for a cleaner weekend. In his two 2024 races at the track last year, he finished 27th in the spring and eighth in the fall.

Currently 156 points below the playoff cutline and sitting six spots outside the bubble, Carson Hocevar's long-run speed has often been overshadowed by in-race incidents and execution errors. Richmond's 400-lap grind offers a chance to change that narrative - if he can keep the emotions in check.