Carson Hocevar speaks out about controversial finish at Atlanta leading to chats with Ross Chastain, Ryan Blaney

Carson Hocevar was high in demand after Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta. Not from the media, but rather from multiple adversaries.

Immediately after his runner-up finish, Hocevar was confronted by Ross Chastain and later Ryan Blaney. Both took issue with Hocevar’s aggressive driving late in the race. Hocevar, who was going for his first career win in the NASCAR Cup Series, admitted there’s some stuff he needs to “clean up a little bit.” He did not, however, reveal anything pertaining to the pit road conversations with Chastain and Blaney.

“I’ll just leave those to myself,” Hocevar told Regan Smith of FOX Sports. “… I normally ride in the back, and it was trying to get a good, decent finish and for how bad we were at Daytona. … There’s some stuff I gotta clean up a little bit, but I feel like we put ourselves in the perfect opportunity to try to win a race. I’ve never had that opportunity really before — especially on a superspeedway.”

Apparently, the words after the race finished weren’t all that satisfactory to Chastain, who told Alan Cavanna that he didn’t wish to share what the two talked about but indicated he did not hear what he wanted from Hocevar in response.

“No sir,” Chastain said.

It’s not hard to see why Blaney was upset at Hocevar. Blaney was sent spinning by Hocevar on Lap 234 while racing near the front of the pack. Blaney miraculously saved it on the apron with no damage. But on the radio, Blaney was irate. FOX captured the exchange between Blaney and his spotter Tim Fedewa.

Blaney: “I told you, Timmy. The 77 [Hocevar]. Absolute Weapon.”

Fedewa: “I know, man. I don’t know what we can do about it. F***, we’ve got to race.”

Blaney: “He’s just a moron. He just runs right into the back of you. Has zero idea of where to bump somebody, where not to, he’s swiping across my bumper as he’s doing it. He just has no idea the whole race.”

Carson Hocevar has eventful day at Atlanta

Chastain and Blaney came to talk to Hocevar; Kyle Busch did not. Busch didn’t take too kindly to Hocevar’s driving during Stage 1, threatening to wreck him while talking to his crew chief and spotter over the radio.

“Go tell that 77 he’s done that same f***ing move ten times,” Busch said. “I don’t care if I wreck the whole f***ing field, I’m over him. He’s a f***ing douchebag, I’m going to wreck his ass.”

That’s three of the sport’s best who had a problem with Hocevar at various points of the 400-mile race. The reigning Cup Series Rookie of the Year has earned a reputation for being an aggressive wheelman, and as he said, there’s more for him to learn.

What’s not in question is Hocevar’s desire to win.

“We’re here to win races, not be a boy band and love each other and play on a playground together,” Hocevar said, via Toby Christie of Racing America. “Obviously, there’s learning lessons. You don’t want to piss anybody off or frustrate anybody and there’s things I would clean up for sure.”