KANSAS CITY, Kan. \u2014 One week after a heated confrontation at Bristol Motor Speedway left Ryan Blaney with a black eye and Carson Hocevar at the center of another garage debate, both drivers signaled Friday that the incident may already be in the rearview mirror.<\/p>\n
Blaney and Hocevar each met with reporters at Kansas Speedway and offered a notably measured assessment of the late-race battle that led to their post-race altercation following the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Bristol.<\/p>\n
Blaney, the Team Penske driver battling to stay within striking distance of the championship lead, said frustration from a difficult playoff stretch contributed to his unusually emotional reaction after the race.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was definitely unlike me,\u201d Blaney said.<\/p>\n
The 2023 Cup Series champion explained that consecutive setbacks at Gateway and Bristol, combined with lost championship points, gradually fueled his frustration.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis Chase hasn\u2019t gone exactly how I thought it was gonna go,\u201d Blaney said. \u201cA couple of rough finishes back-to-back and you kind of start realizing, \u2018Man, this is just not going the way I thought it was gonna go.’\u201d<\/p>\n
Blaney entered Bristol needing a strong finish after earlier playoff struggles and believed he had a car capable of contending for the victory. Instead, a late-race clash with Hocevar ended his night and left him sixth in the standings, 52 points behind leader Kyle Larson entering Kansas.<\/p>\n
After reviewing the race, however, Blaney softened his stance.<\/p>\n
Black eye and all, Ryan Blaney meets with the media at Kansas Speedway to discuss Bristol and more. #NASCAR<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/qLKY2bEzLx<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Speedway Digest (@speedwaydigest) September 25, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n \u201cI thought it was pretty 50-50,\u201d Blaney said of the on-track contact. \u201cJust kind of a racing thing of Bristol of two guys being aggressive with the line they wanted to be in.\u201d<\/p>\n Blaney also supported NASCAR\u2019s decision not to issue penalties following the confrontation.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they made the correct choice not to do anything,\u201d he said. \u201cI kind of initiated a confrontation and Carson defended himself.\u201d<\/p>\n Hocevar, whose aggressive driving style has made him one of the sport\u2019s most polarizing young drivers, echoed many of Blaney\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n The Spire Motorsports driver admitted he was surprised Blaney publicly addressed the situation so quickly, but said the veteran driver\u2019s candor increased his respect for him.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought he made me more of a fan, honestly,\u201d Hocevar said. \u201cWhen he went on there, I had respect for that for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Hocevar said he never intended for the confrontation to become physical and believes both drivers misread each other\u2019s intentions in the heat of the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t want to hit him,\u201d Hocevar said. \u201cLooking back, I one-hundred percent see where he wanted to maybe just throw a shove in there and then yell.\u201d<\/p>\n While many Cup Series feuds linger for weeks or months, both drivers suggested the Bristol incident may actually strengthen their relationship.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve never had a problem, really, with him on a racetrack,\u201d Hocevar said. \u201cWe\u2019ve been running good together. I think he\u2019s as stand-up of a guy as he could be.\u201d<\/p>\n Hocevar said reviewing both the race and Blaney\u2019s comments helped him understand the other side of the situation.<\/p>\n Carson Hocevar comments on Bristol Motor Speedway fight with Ryan Blaney heading into Kansas Speedway Weekend. #NASCAR<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/JubaxxmB72<\/a><\/p>\n