NASCAR granted Carson Hocevar waiver after Martinsville penalty

NXTbets Pro | Published On: November 5, 2026

Hocevar waiver

NASCAR granted Carson Hocevar a waiver and allowed him to keep the points he earned through Martinsville, a move that left him 13th in the standings with 2,234 points after a penalty-filled stretch that centered on his contact with Austin Cindric. The series had fined Hocevar $100,000 and docked him 25 points for actions detrimental to stock car racing after he repeatedly brake-checked Cindric during the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway. The move damaged Cindric’s No. 2 Team Penske Ford and ended his race. Cindric finished 36th. NASCAR said Hocevar’s repeated behavioral issues or prior disciplinary history helped drive the larger fine. The series’ ruling came in the same stretch that brought another Martinsville penalty, with NASCAR also fining Josh Berry $50,000 and docking him 25 points for a separate incident involving Ryan Blaney. Hocevar’s case drew the sharper response because of the repeated nature of the brake-checking and the size of the fine attached to it. The waiver left Hocevar 13th in the standings, but it did so under the shadow of a ruling that made his Martinsville conduct the central story.

Martinsville suspension

Spire Motorsports backed NASCAR’s discipline with its own move, suspending Hocevar from the Homestead-Miami Speedway season finale and putting Justin Haley in the No. 77 Chevrolet. Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson said Hocevar’s conduct fell short of the organization’s standards and that the team still supported him while holding him accountable. Jeff Burton also weighed in, saying the suspension could be “the best thing” to happen to Hocevar because it may give him perspective. Burton said Hocevar can keep his personality and still shake things up, but he has to meet the standards expected of a NASCAR Cup Series driver. That sentiment fit the larger response around the incident. Hocevar’s talent and edge did not disappear, but the team and the series both made clear that his behavior had to stay within accepted limits. The organization’s response matched NASCAR’s in one key way: it treated the incident as a serious matter.

Hocevar apology

Hocevar addressed the incident in a YouTube video and offered a direct apology to Cindric, Spire employees and fans. He said, “I’m the bad guy.” He also said there was “no denying” his brake-checking was not racing and said he took responsibility for what happened. Those comments acknowledged the mistake, and Hocevar said he did not want the sport hurt by similar incidents in the future. He described Martinsville as embarrassing and said he crossed the line. That language matched the seriousness of the penalty and the response from both NASCAR and Spire. The apology also showed that Hocevar understood the damage went beyond one driver or one race. Cindric’s car was damaged, his race was over and the fallout reached the season finale and the standings. Hocevar’s statement made clear that he recognized the cost of his actions and the standard he missed. The punishment, the team response and the driver’s apology all addressed the Martinsville incident.