NASCAR: Spire Motorsports benches Hocevar for season finale

Spire Motorsports suspended Carson Hocevar from driving the No. 77 car for the 2026 NASCAR season finale. The team made the announcement on Tuesday, confirming that the 23-year-old will not compete in the Nov. 8 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The suspension follows a review of Hocevar's performance during the Nov. 1 race at Martinsville. Officials and teammates alleged that Hocevar intentionally spun his car to trigger a caution period. The driver also engaged in a physical incident with Austin Cindric during that event, a moment that reinforced his reputation for aggressive driving.

Spire Motorsports owner Jeff Dickerson stated that the team chose to act rather than wait for an official ruling from NASCAR. “The easy thing would have been to leave this in NASCAR’s hands. To us, however, this isn’t about money or points,” Dickerson said in a statement. “We believe in respect. Our integrity matters. This is the right decision. Sometimes the right decision for someone you care about hurts in the short term.”

Hocevar accepted the decision, describing the news as “an embarrassing day” for him. In his own statement, he acknowledged that his actions left the team with little choice. “I let the people down that gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to drive a Cup car,” he wrote. “I crossed the line with my on-track actions and gave [owner] Jeff [Dickerson] and Spire Motorsports no option but to put someone else in the 77 car this weekend.”

Justin Haley, a NASCAR veteran and former Spire driver, will replace Hocevar in the No. 77 car for the final race. Hocevar enters the weekend as 12th in the points standings. During the 35 races of this season, he recorded one victory, 12 top-10 finishes, and six top-five results. His first Cup win came at Talladega on April 26, which also secured his first postseason appearance.

The decision comes after a season marked by high visibility for the driver. Hocevar built a large fan base through his driving style and public persona, though he was also involved in a viral altercation at Bristol in September. The final race of the 2026 schedule for all three NASCAR series will take place this weekend in Florida.