Carson Hocevar was having a solid race at Kansas, comfortably running in the top ten and finishing the first stage in fourth place. However, trouble struck during the restart on Lap 122 when Hocevar, positioned on the inside line, drifted toward the middle and collided with Ty Gibbs, who was attempting to move inside Bubba Wallace from the outside lane. This clash caused both Hocevar and Wallace to spin onto the inside of the track, while Gibbs managed to continue. The incident also involved Zane Smith, Erik Jones, and Josh Berry, who all spun amidst the resulting chaos.
Hocevar explained that the wreck was basically a case of both him and Gibbs aiming for the same space at the same time. “It looked like me and the 54 [Gibbs] were going for the same spot. He was in my blind spot, so I didn’t realize he was moving to the middle. I guess it was on me, but we just ended up wrecking,” Hocevar told NASCAR on USA. He added, “Our car was destroyed after that, so it wasn’t fun, but it was positive to have speed early. I’d rather be fast and wrecked than slow. So, it’s something to build on.” Later, speaking with Motorsport.com, he reiterated that the crash happened because they both converged in the same area while trying to run the middle line.
There was some speculation about Brad Keselowski’s involvement since he was trailing Hocevar and made contact with the No. 77 just before Hocevar started sliding right. However, Hocevar dismissed Keselowski’s role in causing the crash. Keselowski himself said, “I didn’t see what happened; they were ahead of me and then they weren’t. From what I understand, they had some contact on the outside lane, but I don’t think I played a part in it.” The exchange drew attention due to a recent incident between the two at Darlington and Keselowski’s prior promise to seek payback.
As a result of the wreck, Hocevar had to nurse a damaged car around the track, ultimately finishing 33rd and dropping three spots to 11th in the standings.
Fan Take: This incident highlights just how intense and unpredictable NASCAR restarts can be, especially when multiple drivers battle for the same line. For fans, it’s a reminder of the high stakes and split-second decisions that make the sport thrilling, but also how quickly fortunes can change in a single moment.
Source: www.motorsport.com
