There was some fan base consternation over NASCAR’s decision to fine Zane Smith $50,000 for driving into the back of Carson Hocevar immediately after the checkered flag on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.
The argument, in some corners of the internet, was that the decision to penalize Smith was inconsistent from recent NASCAR decisions to not penalize drivers for such infractions. For example, Michael McDowell was not penalized for intentionally spinning Ricky Stenhouse Jr. after they slammed doors on the cool down lap two weeks ago at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The difference is that Smith and Hocevar had an on-track incident at Chicagoland Speedway in July that resulted in a conversation with NASCAR officials the following week. Effectively, they were on probation, and Smith violated that de facto probation.
Speaking on the Hauler Talk podcast he shares with various other series officials, NASCAR vice president of racing communications Mike Forde explained how the fine decision was reached.
“After they had their dust-up on the race track, we called both of them in at Atlanta,” Forde said. “And we don’t typically like talking about what we tell those drivers in the hauler. But in this case, 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. So this is us pretty much helping. Zane Smith figured it out a little bit in the form of a $50,000 fine.
“When we have drivers called into the hauler like that, we don’t have it often, but when we feel like it’s necessary, we’re serious about those conversations.”
On Sunday, Smith retaliated after contact from Ross Chastain shot Hocevar up the track into Josh Berry and Smith. In real time, Smith was told that Hocevar only hit him because of the contact from Chastain.
Smith said he didn't care.
Smith can choose to appeal the penalty should he choose, so Forde is not saying anything more on the topic until that deadline has passed, as to not forecast the argument from the Sanctioning Body.
The penalty is identical to the $50,000 fine that Bubba Wallace received for dooring Alex Bowman into the wall on the cool-down lap at the Chicago Street Course last summer. Bowman has loosened his seat belts and lowered his window net at the time of the contact.