Ross Chastain was fuming. The Trackhouse Racing driver wasn’t alone in feeling this way, as Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney were also infuriated by Carson Hocevar’s aggressive driving style at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Despite considering the No. 1 Chevy driver somewhat of a mentor figure, the 22-year-old was not out to make any friends at the 1.5-mile oval and was involved in a late incident during the overtime restart. Tempers flared after the checkered flag was waved, as Chastain and Hocevar were seen exchanging words afterward.
With the upcoming race at Circuit of the Americas on the horizon, Ross Chastain shed light on what the two racers spoke about at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Could the Trackhouse star look for payback at the upcoming EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix?
Ross Chastain is dissatisfied by Hocevar’s justification
Ross Chastain has been there and done that. Formerly known as NASCAR’s ‘bad boy,’ the Florida native has been involved in plenty of controversies on the racetrack. From wrecking Kyle Larson multiple times to incurring the wrath of Rick Hendrick, the racer has been through it all, which might be the reason why he’s a mentor for Carson Hocevar. Currently in his sophomore year, the No. 77 Chevy driver resorted to an aggressive driving style at Atlanta Motor Speedway, even if it came at the expense of others on the racetrack.
Ross Chastain, who was second at the overtime restart, received a dirty push from Hocevar, which forced him out of contention at the 2025 AmBetter Health 400. Reflecting on the Spire Motorsports driver’s strategy, Chastain said, “All of his moves almost worked. He almost won. That’s great. I just don’t think it was what was best. Definitely wasn’t the best for me at that moment, I lost a chance to win the race because of him and I want to understand why he did that. He told me the reason, and I don’t have to agree with it.”
Carson Hocevar resorted to quite an unconventional approach to gain track positions at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Even though Chastain was also driving a Chevy, the youngster didn’t hesitate to get him out of the way during overtime in an attempt to secure his first Cup Series race win. The incident forced the Trackhouse Racing driver to settle for an eighth-place finish, essentially robbing him of what could have been a possible victory.
After the on-track confrontation between the two drivers, Ross Chastain refused to reveal details about the conversation to the press and went on to say, “No, sir” when asked if he heard what he wanted to from Hocevar. The Trackhouse Racing star wasn’t the only one who was subjected to the youngster’s recklessness, as the No. 77 Chevy driver continued beating and banging Christopher Bell in the last lap despite a caution being waved, causing the Joe Gibbs Racing driver to almost spin out.
Hamlin shares his perspective on Hocevar and Chastain’s incident
Denny Hamlin knows a thing or two about superspeedway racing. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran has won the Daytona 500 thrice, as well as two triumphs at Talladega Superspeedway. Taking Carson Hocevar’s circumstances into the equation, the 44-year-old couldn’t help but defend the sophomore for his actions at Atlanta Motor Speedway, particularly the incident with Ross Chastain in overtime. Justifying the youngster’s actions, Hamlin said that all Hocevar was trying to do was secure a rare win for his team.
Sharing his thoughts on the Actions Detrimental podcast, Denny Hamlin said, “On a Superspeedway, it’s all about can the second, third, fourth car stay close to the first person in line. If either one of those cars pull out of line at any point, your line is dead, and whatever lane stays committed to each other, that lane will go forward. If I’m Ross, that’s probably what I’m saying is that ‘I understand you’re trying to go for the win yourself Carson, but it killed our line. We all went backwards at that point.’”
While much of it can be attributed to youth and inexperience, Carson Hocevar will need to adopt a wiser approach going forward. In many ways, NASCAR can be a team sport, and having allies on the track can be a significant advantage, a lesson the Spire Motorsports driver needs to learn. While his motives of winning at all costs are understandable given the circumstances, racing cleanly and cultivating friendships can make-or-break a season. In a sport defined by fine margins, such as NASCAR, racers need to capitalize on every little advantage they can lay their hands on.
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