Carson Hocevar didn’t pull any punches after Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire, flat out saying, “I think I spun myself.” That’s a brutal confession from the driver of the No. 77 after a chaotic race saw him fall two laps down and suffer another spin in the final stage before somehow rallying to a 19th-place finish.
Hocevar Points the Finger At Himself After New Hampshire Contact
The incident with Connor Zilisch in Stage 2 sent Hocevar’s No. 77 machine spinning down the frontstretch at “The Magic Mile.” While there was contact from Zilisch’s front bumper, Hocevar was quick to take full responsibility. He told motorsports insider Dustin Long that he believed he triggered the whole thing by driving into Zilisch’s No. 88. Hocevar explained, “I turned left to try and get to the bottom and cover it and I think pretty much spun myself.” He even joked about having a knack for “finishing the job,” emphasizing it was an accident. Talk about owning your mistakes, right? Luckily, he said, he didn’t “kill” his car and “ruin another week for us.”
“The Hurricane” Is Facing Down a Rough Skid
This kind of self-inflicted wound is tough to swallow, especially when you look at Hocevar’s recent form. “The Hurricane,” who’s only 23, was riding high, climbing as high as fifth in the points standings after winning his first Cup Series race at Talladega earlier this year and after the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. He’s racked up five top-five finishes and nine top-10 results this season, showing some serious talent. But ever since the Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway, it’s been a tough stretch.
At Iowa, mechanical problems bit him hard, leading to a frustrating 31st-place finish. Then came the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway two weeks ago, where a transmission failure gave him his first DNF of 2026 and a 37th-place result. Even though he salvaged 19th at New Hampshire, the day started with real promise, finishing third in Stage 1 before things went sideways. This recent skid has unfortunately mired Hocevar back at 11th in the points standings.
He might have clinched a spot in the Chase in Loudon, but these struggles are absolutely costing him a shot at a high seeding for that crucial 10-race Chase. He’s got to clean it up, and fast, if he wants to make some noise when it truly matters.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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