NASCAR fined Zane Smith fifty thousand dollars for driving into Carson Hocevar’s car after the Phoenix Cup race had ended. The confrontation followed late contact involving several cars. Officials had already spoken to both drivers after an earlier clash in July, and the new penalty cites safety and conduct provisions.
NASCAR, the US stock-car racing organization, fined Zane Smith fifty thousand dollars for driving into Carson Hocevar’s car after the Cup Series race at Phoenix. The sanction addressed the confrontation after the checkered flag. Smith was racing for Front Row Motorsports and Hocevar for Spire Motorsports.[1], [2]
The confrontation followed an incident on lap 296, when Hocevar made contact with Ross Chastain in turn three. Chastain’s car slid toward Smith and Josh Berry as the drivers competed around tenth position. Hocevar eventually finished twelfth and Smith fifteenth. On the cooldown lap, Smith accelerated and struck the rear of Hocevar’s car, then followed him onto pit road.[1]
NASCAR cited its safety-related and general conduct provisions in the penalty. Smith and Hocevar had previously clashed at Chicagoland on July 5. Officials met them at EchoPark the following week and discouraged further retaliation. The series moves next to Talladega, where Hocevar won its most recent race at the track. After Phoenix, Hocevar was eleventh in the Chase standings and Smith twenty-sixth overall.[1]
