NASCAR CUP SERIES | 2026 MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY

 

CARSON HOCEVAR'S ANTICS FINALLY CAUGHT UP TO HIM AS SPIRE MOTOSPORTS SUSPENDERS NASCAR STAR

 

Rising NASCAR star Carson Hocevar had been toeing the line of acceptable on-track behavior throughout the 2026 season. In Sunday’s race at Martinsville, Hocevar seemingly stepped over that line, and now he’s paying for it.

On Tuesday, Spire Motorsports announced that it had suspended the 23-year-old for the final race of the season at Homestead. The suspension comes in the wake of him brake-checking Team Penske driver Austin Cindric on multiple occasions at Martinsville, which ultimately ended Cindric’s day.

After the race, Hocevar claimed that it was just an unfortunate incident. But car tracking data showed that Hocevar slammed on the breaks in the middle of the straightaway, forcing Cindric to run into him.

What does the data say?

@SteveLetarte and @jamiemcmurray break down the contact between @CarsonHocevar and @AustinCindric. https://t.co/xKiHnNhM2K

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 2, 2026

Carson Hocevar Had This Suspension Coming

 There's no defying Hocevar’s talent. He won the first race of his career earlier this season and has routinely run in the top five in what many would consider sub-prime equipment.

But there’s also no denying his need to mature on the track. The incident with Cindric was just the latest of several run-ins with opposing drivers this year, one of which led to a fight with former series champion Ryan Blaney.

Up until now, Spire Motorsports owner Jeff Dickerson has backed his driver. But the latest incident left Dickerson no choice.

Jeff Dickerson statement:

“A decision like this has a lot of variables and a cascading effect across an organization like ours. The easy thing would have been to leave this in NASCAR’s hands and let them decide what any penalty should be. To us, however, this isn’t about money or points. We believe in respect. Our integrity matters. This is the right decision for Spire Motorsports.

“Everyone here loves working with Carson, and we’ve enjoyed watching him thrive alongside our team. Sometimes the right decision for someone you care about hurts in the short term. The way Carson conducted himself at Martinsville doesn’t meet the standard we set for our drivers, team members or employees, and there are consequences for that. That doesn’t mean we don’t love him and support him.

“Racing at the Cup level is a privilege, and it comes with an expected level of professionalism from everyone who represents Spire Motorsports. We’ll go to Homestead united and compete as an organization. After that, we can get ready for Daytona in February with the right mindset to contend for a championship.”

Justin Haley will drive the No. 77 car this week in Hocevar’s place.

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) November 3, 2026

“Everyone here loves working with Carson, and we’ve enjoyed watching him thrive alongside our team. Sometimes the right decision for someone you care about hurts in the short term,” Dickerson said in a statement. “The way Carson conducted himself at Martinsville doesn’t meet the standard we set for our drivers, team members, or employees, and there are consequences for that. That doesn’t mean we don’t love him and support him.”

Carson Hocevar Addresses Suspension

Hocevar also took to social media and issued a statement.

“This is an embarrassing day for me,” his statement began. “I let the people down that gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to drive a Cup car. I also let down my team, sponsors, and fans. I crossed the line with on-track actions and gave Jeff and Spire Motorsports no options but to put someone else in the 77 car this weekend at Homestead.

“I’ll be rooting for the entire organization this weekend and look forward to coming back in 2027 as a better driver, competitor, and teammate.’

Hocevar has had opportunities in the past to alter his behavior. He opted not to. Perhaps this is the wake-up call that was needed in order for him to do so.

Clay Sauertieg

NASCAR CEO: TOM CRUISE WANTS TO RACE IN ARCA FOR 'DAYS OF THUNDER 2'

"I’m not sure that’s going to happen, but he wants it to be as authentic as it can be."

Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/James Lang

Over 25 years following Days of Thunder’s original release in 1990, the cult classic’s long-awaited sequel is slated to hit theaters in 2028, with Tom Cruise reprising his role as Cole Trickle, a dirt open-wheel racer who enters the NASCAR Cup Series despite zero experience with stock car racing.

According to NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell, who discussed the upcoming film at Front Office Sports’ Tuned In conference on Tuesday, Cruise, who is famous for doing as many of his own stunts as possible, wants to get behind the wheel for real this time around.

“I was shocked. We have an ARCA racing series … Tom wanted to go race in one of those,” O’Donnell said. “I’m not sure that’s going to happen, but he wants it to be as authentic as it can be.”

While preparing for the first film in 1987, Cruise tested a second-tier O’Reilly Auto Parts Series car at Daytona, topping out at nearly 180 MPH.

ARCA is a minor, semi-professional national touring series that serves as a feeder series into NASCAR. The ARCA Menards Series will begin its 20-race schedule for 2027 at Daytona on Feb. 20, making stops at other iconic racing tracks such as Talladega.

It’ll be up to the discretion of NASCAR, which acquired ARCA in 2018, whether a 64-year-old Cruise will be qualified to race in the series. However, the barrier to entry is relatively low compared to the Truck, O’Reilly, or Cup Series, with 15-year-olds and even YouTube star Cleetus McFarland competing in the past.

O’Donnell says that the Hollywood icon wants the sequel to be as authentic as possible. Several drivers have said they’ve communicated with the filmmakers to help achieve that authenticity, answering questions about racing, and offering advice on stories and scenes, per USA Today. Carson Hocevar, who drives the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, has been in communication with Cruise’s team since January for the film.

“I think if you look at the first one, it showcased what NASCAR was at the time. And so, in talking to Tom Cruise when he was at Daytona, it’s all about where we are today and going forward,” O’Donnell said. “It’s embracing, you know, instead of a car being put together back in the garage, it’s embracing the technology, everything that goes into the sport. And Tom’s message to us was, ‘I’m going to put you in front of an entirely new audience, and you need to be ready.'”

Jonathan Levine will direct the film, with Oscar-winning actress Anne Hathaway starring alongside Cruise, who is also producing the sequel with Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper.

O’Donnell is looking at the upcoming blockbuster as a prime opportunity to grow the sport.

“Do people understand the point system? How does the Chase work? How long are your races? All these things to make sure that a new fan who may come out to the racetrack understands,” the CEO said. “Because for us, this is a whole new open door for us to bring new fans.”

- Qwame Skinner

NASCAR: KESELOWSKI-HOCEVAR CLASH FUELS PAYBACK DEBATE AFTER KANSAS CRASH

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A tense NASCAR restart at Kansas Speedway sparked fresh questions about Brad Keselowski and Carson Hocevar after a multi-car crash during the Hollywood Casino 400. On Lap 122, Noah Gragson’s engine failure brought out a caution, setting up a Stage 2 restart.

When the field went back to green, Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet moved right and made contact with Ty Gibbs before crossing back across the track. Bubba Wallace, Josh Berry, Erik Jones and Zane Smith were also caught in the crash. Keselowski’s No. 6 Ford was directly behind Hocevar when the incident unfolded.

The NASCAR crash drew more attention because Hocevar had spun Keselowski at Darlington three weeks earlier. Keselowski had then warned, “There will be,” when asked about possible history between the two drivers.

NASCAR Restart Crash Raises Keselowski-Hocevar Questions

The NASCAR crash quickly became a talking point because Keselowski appeared to make contact with Hocevar during the restart. USA Network analysts Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton questioned whether Keselowski had pushed the No. 77.

Chase Briscoe’s crew chief, James Small, told his driver over the radio that Keselowski had gotten into Hocevar and knocked him loose. Keselowski’s spotter, TJ Majors, offered a different view, saying, “Move of the race, nice job.”

Keselowski replied that the move was “more of survival than anything else.”

The NASCAR incident came after Hocevar’s Darlington spin of Keselowski, adding another layer to the restart crash.

Brad Keselowski Explains Kansas Speedway Contact

After the NASCAR race, Keselowski rejected the idea that the Kansas Speedway crash was connected to the Darlington incident.

“I don’t know. They crashed. I didn’t see what happened. They were in front of me and then they weren’t. From what I’m told, they made some contact there, the outside lane. So I don’t really feel like that had anything to do with me, but it makes for a damn good story.”

In another clip, Keselowski said, “Yeah, I know. I gave him a push, and then they started wrecking to my right. I couldn’t tell what happened.”

NASCAR did not issue a penalty over the incident.

Carson Hocevar Takes Blame as Fans Debate NASCAR Crash

Hocevar also stopped short of accusing Keselowski of causing the NASCAR crash at Kansas Speedway. His No. 77 Chevrolet suffered right-front damage, while he finished three laps down.

“I felt contact from all over, honestly. I don’t know. Everybody was trying to go for the middle because that seems to be the perfect spot. I don’t know if I tried to fill that hole that we were all trying to merge into, but we wrecked.”

He later told Motorsport.com, “It looked like we just kind of met. I was trying to run middle, so was the 54. We all just kind of met.”

Hocevar also accepted some responsibility on USA. “He was in my blind spot, so I didn’t know he was shooting that middle. So, yeah, I guess on me.”

Fans offered different views of the NASCAR incident. Danielle Trotta wrote, “Brad’s smart. If it was intentional, he’s smart enough to not make it look like it was. Ways to ruin someone’s day that aren’t blatant. Likely payback from Darlington, and don’t expect BK to admit it to reporters.”

Stephen Harrell disagreed, writing, “Hocevar absolutely turned right to fill the gap in the middle. Trust me, as a Keselowski fan, I WISH that was Brad paying him back! But nope, just another boneheaded move by the 77.”

Jordan Ferrell also rejected the payback theory: “I don’t think that was a retaliation from Keselowski. Hocevar was laying back. Left Brad with few options.”

Bubba Wallace recovered to finish inside the top 10 after repairs. Keselowski finished 12th, while Kyle Larson went on to win the NASCAR race.

The Kansas Speedway crash added another chapter to the Keselowski-Hocevar storyline, but neither driver confirmed it was payback for Darlington.

- Dogli Wilberforce

WHY WAS NASCAR FOOD CITY 300 LEADER GIVEN BLACK FLAG IN O' REILLY SERIES RACE?

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Carson Kvapil’s Food City 300 bid collapsed under a black flag Friday night, after NASCAR ruled his smoking, brake-starved Chevrolet unsafe to keep racing at Bristol Motor Speedway in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase race.

The penalty likely cost Kvapil the lead and laps he needed to tighten his championship push, leaving JR Motorsports racing to patch a suspected brake failure before time runs out.

With roughly 80 laps remaining in the third and final stage, Kvapil radioed that his No. 1 Chevrolet had a loose wheel and had lost its brakes, according to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass and NASCAR insider John Newby. Smoke then poured from the rear of the car, and NASCAR responded by ordering him to pit road under green, ending his run atop the leaderboard.

His JR Motorsports crew suspected a failed brake line was the culprit, according to Newby, and scrambled to patch it before sending Kvapil back out. Performance Racing Network, calling the race live from Bristol, confirmed the smoke and stop over its broadcast, and Pockrass followed up minutes later that NASCAR was black-flagging him and he would have to pit.

A black flag differs from a caution. NASCAR directs a single car to pit immediately when officials judge it a hazard, leaking fluid, dragging parts or trailing smoke, while the rest of the field keeps racing at speed. Kvapil’s mechanical trouble checked every box.

Bristol’s concrete half-mile has a history of shredding equipment under sustained heat and grip, and Friday’s ordeal fit a track that chews through brakes, tires and nerve every fall.

Carson Kvapil’s Playoff Push Takes a Hit

Kvapil arrived at Bristol as one of the hottest drivers in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase, sitting third in points and only nine behind the leader after victories at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Iowa Speedway earlier this season, according to NASCAR.com.

JR Motorsports, co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, has fielded Kvapil’s No. 1 Chevrolet all season as the organization pushes multiple cars deep into the Chase field.

Friday’s race, the third of the 2026 Chase, went green at 7:30 p.m. ET on The CW after rain wiped out qualifying, with Jesse Love starting on the pole and Kvapil fourth, according to Bristol Motor Speedway’s event page.

Kvapil had been the class of the field before the black flag, finishing second in Stage 1 behind Justin Allgaier before winning Stage 2 outright. He was still leading with 80 laps to go, running ahead of Allgaier, Taylor Gray, Love and Sam Mayer, before the trouble struck.

The son of 2003 Craftsman Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil, Carson has leaned on short-track command all season, and Bristol’s half-mile bullring figured to be a showcase before Friday’s mechanical trouble intervened. Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic tracked the developing situation live, while Speedway Digest flagged the black flag call as it happened.

Neither NASCAR nor JR Motorsports had issued a formal penalty report or statement by the time the field kept circling Bristol, and it remained unclear how many laps the stop would ultimately cost Kvapil in the final standings.

- Jonathan Vankin

RYAN BLANEY PULLS OFF THRILLING NASCAR CUP SERIES VICTORY AT ATLANTA

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In a race that did not finish until early hours of Monday morning, Ryan Blaney put on a dominating performance in the NASCAR Cup Series at EchoPark Speedway.

The driver of the No. 12 led a race-high 171 of 263 laps and outdueled Carson Hocevar on the final lap to win the Quaker State 400 at the EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta. Blaney secured his second win of 2026, 19th career victory, and first triumph at Atlanta.

Christopher Bell finished second, followed by Hocevar third, Ty Gibbs in fourth, and Erik Jones wound out the top five.

Bubba Wallace initially finished the race runner-up, but was penalized for advancing his position below the yellow line down the backstretch on the final lap. Because of this, Wallace finished 29th. 

Blaney passes Hocevar on the final lap to win Atlanta

with six laps remaining.   

A multi-car crash involving Kyle Larson, Chase Briscoe, Riley Herbst, Austin Hill, and others set up an overtime restart.

Hocevar started up front for the restart and had his No. 77 machine in prime position to take the win as the field took the white flag.

The Spire Motorsports driver had built a gap on the rest of the field. However, a push from Wallace propelled Blaney past Hocevar. The two ran side-by-side, which then opened the door for Wallace to dive three-wide underneath.

With one final push from Bell up top, Blaney crossed the finish line first and scored the win.

The thrilling victory capped a dominant performance for the North Carolina native.

Rain delayed NASCAR’s finish by over three hours

Blaney started on the pole and led the field to the green flag. The 2023 Cup champion led all 60 laps of the opening stage en route to the victory. Tyler Reddick was second and Kyle Larson was third.

Blaney continued to lead for the bulk of the second stage, but swapped the lead with Kyle Larson. At the red flag on lap 108, Blaney was in command with Bubba Wallace second and Reddick third.

The rain delay lasted three hours and nine minutes as the cars did not get re-fired until just after 11:30 p.m. Eastern time. At 12:01 a.m. Eastern time, the race resumed on lap 123.

In the waning laps of the second stage, Blaney held off challenges from Wallace, Joey Logano, and Hocevar to complete the stage sweep. Reddick finished second in stage two, followed by Logano in third. 

Gibbs assumed the lead after a round of pit stops and was out front to start the final stage.

With just over 60 laps to go, A.J. Allmendinger’s single-car spin on the frontstretch brought out the fourth caution of the race.On the cycle of pit stops, Bell took over the lead, with Larson in second. 

The fifth caution came out with just under 30 laps remaining after Allmendinger slapped the outside retaining wall. 

With 23 laps to go, Wallace led the field back to green with Blaney alongside him. Blaney overtook Wallace and held the advantage with 19 laps remaining, when Larson spun through the infield grass and triggered the sixth caution.

With six races until The Chase, Denny Hamlin leads the points standings by 24 over Reddick.

- John Breeden

NASCAR HALL OF FAMER NED JARRETT HAS PASSED AWAY

 

The NASCAR family is saddened by the loss of Ned Jarrett, a NASCAR Hall of Famer, two-time Cup Series champion and one of our sport's greatest ambassadors.

We extend our deepest condolences.

- NASCAR 

DENNY HAMLIN STORMS BACK FROM POLE-START PENALTY TO TO WIN AT NASHVILLE SUPERSPEEDWAY

Photo by Danny Peters

LEBANON, Tenn. — Denny Hamlin outraced Christopher Bell over the final four laps after a final restart Sunday night to win the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.

Hamlin won for the second time this year and 62nd of his career on a night where he jumped the start off the pole. That penalty put him at the back of the field.

The 45-year-old Hamlin raced his way to the front for the thrilling win that had his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Bell and Chase Briscoe making it three-wide before Hamlin took the lead down the backstretch to win by 0.115 seconds.

The race started 80 minutes late after rain delayed NASCAR’s Cup Series for a second straight week. The wait was worth it with a record 31 lead changes and 12 cautions at the 1.33-mile, D-shaped oval that is NASCAR’s largest concrete track.

Bell finished second for a second straight race ahead of Briscoe. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was fourth, and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five.

Long time coming

Ryan Blaney, trying to repeat as champ at this track, led the restart trying to hold off AJ Allmendinger on a one-lap shootout for the first stage. Allmendinger took the lead on the backstretch, then held off Kyle Larson to take stage one for his first stage victory since 2024.

Stage 2 win

Suarez took the second stage after staying out during a caution and took the lead on the restart on lap 182. Then Corey Heim drove his No. 67 Toyota into the back of Todd Gilliland’s No. 34 Ford, sending him backward into the Turn 1 wall. That brought out the seventh caution with Cole Custer spinning out in the crash.

Lots of rotor woes

Rookie Connor Zilisch had the right rotor explode on his No. 88 Chevrolet sending him into the wall and smashing the right side on Turn 1 of lap 72. Zilisch got the Trackhouse Racing car into the garage with some flames coming out from under the right tire, which was stuck and nearly sideway.

He had been running 24th after starting 38th on the last row.

Trackhouse teammate Ross Chastain had his own rotor issue on lap 82 sending him into the wall between Turns 1 and 2. Michael McDowell spun trying to avoid Chastain’s No. 1 Chevrolet. Zilisch called the rotor problems a surprise when both he and Chastain had been moving up.

“Just unfortunate circumstances,” Zilisch said. “Yeah, we’ll learn from it.”

Van Gisbergen is the third member of Trackhouse Racing. His crew told him not to worry with his No. 97 Chevrolet running a completely different brake package. Ryan Preece went to the garage with no water in his No. 60 Ford, and his crew found a piece of rotor broken off into the radiator before he got back on the track.

Then Allmendinger, who was third, had the rotor spark and flame before his No. 16 Chevrolet hit the Turn 1 wall on lap 173 — with 12 laps left in Stage 2.

Chris Buescher was running 17th with 12 laps left when his right rotor went as he entered Turn 3.

Up next

The series will be at Michigan International Speedway next week where Hamlin will be trying to win for a second straight year.

- Associated Press 

KYLE BUSCH RECEIVES MID-RACE TRIBUTE DURING INDY 500

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Kyle Busch Honored During Lap 18 of Indy 500

Kyle Busch received a tribute in the middle of the Indy 500 Sunday ... with the crowd falling silent out of respect for him during lap 18 -- a nod to his former number.

A tribute to Kyle Busch on Lap 18 of the Indy 500. pic.twitter.com/ZTYE0kzOgJ @IndyCarOnFOX

Check out the clip ... racers turn out of corner 4 on Lap 17 -- and, as they pass the scoring pylon, a picture of Kyle Busch "1985-2026" flashes on a screen at the venue.

The Indy 500 crowd -- usually a raucous bunch -- falls into a subdued silence ... while pit crew members can be seen standing at attention.

Lap 18 is one of just many tributes at the Indy 500 to Busch ... whose former teammate, Jimmie Johnson, appeared during Fox's pregame show.

Before the Indy 500, @JimmieJohnson, @DanicaPatrick, and @TonyStewart remember Kyle Busch. pic.twitter.com/wemDa2t7Cr @IndyCarOnFOX

Johnson talked about the respect Busch had from everyone about the sport ... while fellow driver Danica Patrick reflected on Busch's love of racing.

As you know ... Busch passed away Thursday after a bout with severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis, according to his family.

KB won his final race on May 15 -- a Truck Series race ... and the No. 7 vehicle he used was back in action Sunday as well, though it didn't have the happy ending sports fans might've hoped for.

I just can’t express enough how lucky we are that Corey Day’s truck came back to the ground.

Day would’ve went over that wall…My heart sank for a second. pic.twitter.com/PyqEOYGlxB @AustinKonenski

Driver Corey Day ended up in a hard crash during lap 47 when he received contact from Gio Ruggiero. It's a scary-looking crash ... but Day was able to walk off the track under his own power.

Day said, "I just hate it for the No. 7 guys. This is exactly what I didn’t want to do today. I just wanted to deliver them a good run. I feel terrible."

Busch was supposed to drive in the Coca-Cola 600 this afternoon ... and the entire racing world is clearly still reeling from the shocking death.

- TMZ

KYLE BUSCH DEATH: FRESH DETAILS EMERGE AFTER TRAGIC PASSING OF NASCAR ICON

Photo: Race Pictures

The world of NASCAR and the American motorsport racing scene has been rocked by the tragic passing of Kyle Busch. More details have now emerged surrounding the circumstances of the 41-year-old’s death.

News of the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion’s passing came suddenly, just hours after he was reportedly admitted to the hospital following a short illness on Wednesday, May 20.

Busch was widely renowned for his success on track across both the NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series and had been expected to take part in this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 race prior to his death. However, following the announcement and the initially unclear details surrounding the cause, fresh information has now surfaced regarding the Las Vegas-born driver’s final hours.

Fresh details emerge surrounding Busch’s death

According to a report from CNN, Busch required medical attention on Wednesday after coughing up blood and experiencing shortness of breath while preparing for this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 event.

The report further states that a 911 call obtained revealed that a caller, whose identity was redacted, requested an ambulance to a training facility in Concord, North Carolina. “I’ve got an individual that’s experiencing shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he’s going to pass out and producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood,” the caller said.

Kyle Busch racing at Daytona - Photo: Race Pictures

The report adds that Busch was lying on the bathroom floor but was conscious at the time of the call. The caller also requested that emergency services approach with sirens off and provided directions to the facility. The emergency call, made at approximately 5:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, came almost exactly 24 hours before NASCAR, Busch’s family, and Richard Childress Racing officially announced his passing.

Further reports indicate that Busch had been testing on a racing simulator earlier that day when he became unresponsive and was subsequently transported to a hospital in Charlotte, according to several unnamed sources familiar with the situation.

Richard Childress Racing pays tribute

Richard Childress Racing, the team Busch drove for up until his passing, has paid tribute to the 41-year-old. The racing outfit announced it will suspend the use of Busch’s No. 8 car and instead field the No. 33 car.

The team has also confirmed that the No. 8 will be reserved for Brexton Busch, his 11-year-old son, who has already begun following in his father’s footsteps and has recorded multiple wins in junior racing categories across the United States.

- Samson Ero

NASCAR CUP SERIES: 2026 GOODYEAR 400 AT DARLINGTON RACEWAY | HIGHLIGHTS

 

UNBELIEVABLE KYLE BUSCH | NASCAR CUP SERIES