The rivalry between NASCAR drivers Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar exploded at Iowa Speedway on August 3, 2025. On lap 229, Hocevar’s car drifted up the track and clipped Smith’s, sending him spinning into the wall and wrecking his race. The contact was a devastating blow for Smith, who had been running competitively but was relegated to a 36th-place finish.

Meanwhile, Hocevar continued and secured an eighth-place result. However, for Smith, the wreck itself wasn’t the most infuriating part; it was Hocevar’s apparent lack of concern that pushed the conflict to a new level.

Why Won’t Zane Smith Physically Confront Carson Hocevar?

When asked if he had spoken to Hocevar about their recent on-track incidents, Smith was brutally honest about why a conversation, or anything more, was off the table. His response was telling:

“No, I didn’t talk to him. And it’s just you’re not gonna get anything. I don’t really know how else you can explain that. I mean, yeah, you want to go up to him and punch him in the face, but that’s 75 grand, and that’s not very cool.”

Our drivers are fierce competitors anytime they strap in a race car. @ZaneSmith talks about his on-track rivalry. 👀 pic.twitter.com/X8a28kdcUz

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 16, 2025

The $75,000 fine Smith mentioned is a direct reference to the major penalty NASCAR handed down to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in May 2024 for punching Kyle Busch. That penalty, the largest in NASCAR history for a driver-on-driver fight, has clearly served as a powerful deterrent for others, including Smith.

His criticism of his former Spire Motorsports teammate didn’t stop there, as he offered a blunt assessment of Hocevar’s character: “I personally can’t go have a conversation with him without getting a $75,000 fine. Yeah, he’s just a dumb [expletive]. That’s just how it is.”

Smith’s frustration isn’t an isolated incident. Throughout the 2025 season, the 22-year-old Hocevar has become a magnet for controversy and has developed a growing list of rivals.

Just a few weeks before the Iowa wreck, Hocevar ignited a firestorm during NASCAR’s historic race in Mexico City. During a livestream, he made derogatory comments about the city, calling it a “s—hole.” His team, Spire Motorsports, acted swiftly, fining him $50,000 and requiring him to attend sensitivity training.

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That same weekend in Mexico City also featured another heated moment on the track. Stenhouse went spinning after contact from Hocevar on lap 90, and he was furious after the race. Stenhouse confronted Hocevar on pit road, telling reporters, “I told him I was going to beat his a** once we got back in the States.”

This pattern of incidents has not only angered fellow drivers but also earned Hocevar the nickname “Hurricane Hocevar” from NBC commentator Leigh Diffey. Yet, true to form, Hocevar seems unbothered by the growing criticism. He has even appeared to embrace the villain role, posting on Instagram with Drake’s song “IDGAF” and openly mocking his expanding list of enemies.