NASCAR fined Zane Smith $50,000 after his post-race contact with Carson Hocevar at Phoenix Raceway, but officials say the penalty followed an earlier warning to both drivers.
NASCAR vice president of racing communications Mike Forde explained that the series had already met with Smith and Hocevar after an earlier incident and warned them to resolve their issues.
The contact happened after the Freeway Insurance 500, when Smith hit the rear of Hocevar’s car during the cooldown lap. On the Hauler Talk podcast, Forde said NASCAR viewed the fine as a response to drivers ignoring its earlier message.
The penalty followed a review of video, audio, and data from the Phoenix incident, although officials have withheld some details because Smith has the right to appeal.
NASCAR Fine for Zane Smith Followed Earlier Warning
Forde said NASCAR summoned Smith and Hocevar to a meeting in Atlanta after their earlier clash at Chicagoland. During the meeting, officials told both drivers they needed to settle their differences.
“But I think P1 in the reasons why we– number one reason we penalized here is because we had a discussion with Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar; this happened after Chicagoland, after they had their dust-up on the racetrack. We called both of them in Atlanta,” Forde said.
He explained that NASCAR rarely discusses private meetings with drivers but chose to reveal part of the message delivered to the pair.
“And pretty much the message was this: If you guys can’t figure it out, we will help you figure it out. And they couldn’t figure it out. This is us pretty much helping Zane Smith figure it out a little bit in the form of a $50,000 fine.”
Forde added that officials take such conversations seriously. John Probst, Elton Sawyer and Brad Moran also hold discussions with drivers to maintain order on the track.
NASCAR Explains Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar Contact
The incident at Phoenix happened during the cooldown lap after the checkered flag. Earlier in the race, Ross Chastain pushed Hocevar into Smith and Josh Berry during an on-track incident. Smith later struck the rear of Hocevar’s car after the race.
NASCAR reviewed video, audio and data before issuing the $50,000 fine under its behavioral and safety provisions. Forde acknowledged that the evidence played a role in the decision but stressed that the earlier warning was the main reason for the penalty.
The NASCAR official also responded to comparisons with the incident involving Michael McDowell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at Charlotte Motor Speedway the week before. That incident did not result in a penalty, prompting questions about why NASCAR treated the Phoenix clash differently.
Forde said the two cases weren’t identical and explained that officials considered several factors before deciding.
“We want aggression, we want passion. But this one was a little bit different than that, in our opinion, largely because of the conversation we had and the ask that we had that we felt was largely ignored.”
NASCAR Penalty Could Face an Appeal
Forde confirmed that Smith has the right to appeal the $50,000 NASCAR fine. He declined to reveal every detail of the review while the appeal process remains open.
“There were, like I said, other parts and pieces that I need to hold until after the appeal, out of respect to the appeal process; let that play itself out.”
He added that NASCAR might provide further explanations if Smith does not appeal and fans remain interested in the decision.
NASCAR’s official announcement offered little detail, stating only: “A penalty has been issued following this past weekend’s action at Phoenix Raceway.”
Forde’s explanation clarified why NASCAR fined Smith after the Phoenix incident. Officials believed the contact went beyond ordinary on-track aggression because both drivers had already received a warning in Atlanta. The $50,000 penalty served as NASCAR’s response after officials concluded that their earlier request had been ignored.
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