Stenhouse has vowed retaliation on rival Carson Hocevar. Will NASCAR payback be delivered at Pocono?
LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — Carson Hocevar walked around Pocono Raceway without a scratch on his face. His polo shirt looked more tailored than tattered and the Spire Motorsports driver was ready to race rather than rumble.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. hadn't socked Hocevar with a right hook quite yet — hot on the heels of Stenhouse's threat to beat up his racing rival after last weekend's race in Mexico City — leaving the next shot at any potential retaliation inside or outside the cars set for Sunday's NASCAR race.
Hocevar should walk with his head on a swivel because Stenhouse can throw a right hook.
Just ask Kyle Busch, who suffered a crushing TKO loss when he clashed with Stenhouse after last year's All-Star race.
Get ready! The Pounding at Pocono could be just another round in the ongoing feud between Stenhouse and Hocevar.
'He probably will be looking over his shoulder for a long time,' Stenhouse said Saturday at Pocono. 'We'll see how that goes.'
Hocevar has to look over his shoulder — and for that charging Chevrolet in his rearview mirror.
'The scorecard has it that I I'm getting something from the 47 at some point, right? And I think my team and everybody kind of knows that,' Hocevar said.
Their beef has little chance of getting squashed any time soon, a dispute that started three races ago when Hocevar wrecked Stenhouse early at Nashville. Hocevar sent Stenhouse spinning last week in Mexico City, which ignited the postrace melee on pit road.
Stenhouse seemed to grab at Hocevar as he spoke to him, then slapped at his helmet as Stenhouse walked away.
Hocevar's in-car camera captured audio of the confrontation.
'I'm going to beat your (behind),' Stenhouse threatened. 'You're a lap down, you've got nothing to do. Why you run right into me? It's the second time. I'm going to beat your (behind) when we get back to the States.'
Hocevar avoided a smackdown from Stenhouse but his Spire team hit him where it hurts — a $50,000 fine on Tuesday for derogatory comments he made about Mexico City on a livestream as NASCAR raced there last weekend.
At just 23 and in his second full Cup season, Hocevar has whipped himself into a flurry of unwanted attention, continuing a trend that started last year when even veteran Denny Hamlin chimed in and said NASCAR had ' to do something to Carson.'
Stenhouse might do it on behalf of the sanctioning body with his fist or even his No. 47 Chevrolet.
Hocevar conceded, yes, payback may be imminent and the time to talk out their lingering issues is over.
Yet, Hocevar pleaded: 'It's not an open hunting season on the 77 because of these incidents.'
Hocevar stamped his own target on his back. With his aggressive racing. With his ignorant words.
'Just because I do something in the heat of the moment or maybe, you know, you do it two or three times, doesn't mean I'm not hard on myself for those mistakes because they are mistakes,' he said. 'It's just trying not to make that a pattern. But when you're constantly making aggressive moves like we're doing, it's balancing that fine line of, you know, you make a thousand moves a day. Just unfortunately, what people remember isn't always the good ones. You always remember the negative ones.'
Case in point, Hocevar walked back his derisive comments about Mexico after he actually experienced the culture of the country following NASCAR's foray into a new Cup Series market.
'I didn't give it a shot. I didn't give it a chance,' Hocevar said. 'I didn't go walk around. I didn't go see it. When I did, you know, then hindsight's 20/20, then I have my own opinion. But I've already put it out there.'
Spire also ordered Hocevar to attend cultural-sensitivity and bias-awareness training.
He can be thankful he gets a shot at another race. Stenhouse's spotter, Tab Boyd, was fired this week by HYAK Motorsports in the wake of an unflattering social media post about his experience in Mexico.
'That's above my paygrade,' Stenhouse said.
The biggest KO so far came in the standings, where Stenhouse has been flattened in just three weeks from 13th in points in the thick of playoff contention before Nashville to 21st entering Pocono. Hocevar is one point ahead of Stenhouse in the standings.
'That's the thing that hurts worse for our team is just where it's put us,' Stenhouse said.
Stenhouse's trash talk more worthy of UFC hype could put him in hot water should he actually deliver on his vowed retribution and take out Hocevar.
If it comes to a point where NASCAR dishes out a monetary punishment, it's OK, the 2023 Daytona 500 champion could afford his fine. He just sold his North Carolina estate for $12.2 million, the highest-priced residential sale ever recorded in the greater Charlotte metro area.
'It's been a big week. We've had a lot going on,' Stenhouse said, laughing.
He'd rather talk real estate than about the space and time wasted thinking about Hocevar.
Winnipeg Jets Game Days
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
'I'm just honestly tired of talking about the kid,' Stenhouse said.
Tired of the talk? Sure. Of the action? Not just yet.
'Eventually it'll all come together at some point,' Stenhouse said. 'I'm not sure when or how. But it will.'
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
41 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Miguel Angel Jimenez shoots 66 at Firestone for share of lead in PGA Tour Champions major
AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Miguel Angel Jimenez shot a 4-under 66 on Saturday for a share of the lead with Steven Alker in the Kaulig Companies Championship, the third major of the year on the PGA Tour Champions. Seeking his four victory of the year, Jimenez played a five-hole stretch in the middle of the round at Firestone South in 4 under, making birdies on Nos. 7-8 and 10-11. The 61-year-old Spanish star dropped a stroke on the par-3 12th, then parred the final six holes. Alker, tied for the second-round lead, had a 67 to match Jimenez at 8-under 202. Jimenez won the Trophy Hassan II in February in Morocco, the Hoag Classic in March in Newport Beach, California, and the Principal Charity Classic in a playoff three weeks ago in Des Moines, Iowa. He has 16 career victories on the 50-and-over tour. Alker birdied the par-4 17th to pull even with Jimenez, then made a 5-footer for par on the par-4 18th after missing the green long and left. The 53-year-old from New Zealand won the Cologuard Classic in March in Tucson, Arizona for his ninth Champions title. Michael Wright (66) and Freddie Jacobson (67) were tied for third at 6 under. Richard Green (67) was 5 under. The winner will get a spot in The Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass next year. Firestone South previously hosted the World Series of Golf and then a World Golf Championship. It's a strong test for players who next go to the U.S. Senior Open in Colorado. Angel Cabrera, who already has won two majors this year at the Regions Tradition and the Senior PGA Championship at Congressional, was 2 over after a 73. ___ AP golf:
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Happ homers twice as the Cubs hold off Raleigh and the Mariners for a 10-7 win
CHICAGO (AP) — Ian Happ homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Chicago Cubs held off Cal Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners for a 10-7 victory on Saturday. Raleigh opened the ninth inning with his major league-leading 30th homer after he also went deep twice on Friday. Luke Raley hit a two-out single for Seattle, but Daniel Palencia closed it out when he retired Donovan Solano on a foul popup. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Michael Busch, Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong also homered for Chicago on a 94-degree day at Wrigley Field with a 20-mph wind blowing toward center field. Brad Keller (3-0) got five outs for the win for the NL Central leaders. Solano and Raley each had three hits and two RBIs for Seattle, which won 9-4 in the series opener on Friday.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Inter Milan scores twice in final minutes to beat Urawa in Club World Cup, 2-1
SEATTLE (AP) — Valentin Carboni scored the game-winning goal in stoppage time to give Inter Milan a 2-1 win over Urawa in the Club World Cup on Saturday, ending the Japan club's chances of advancing past the group stage. Inter Milan held the vast majority of possession, but failed to score until the 78th minute when Lautaro Martinez brilliantly bicycle kicked Nicolo Barella's corner ball into the net. Carboni's game-winner came in the second minute of stoppage time and was assisted by fellow substitute Francesco Esposito. The Urawa Red Diamonds opened the scoring in the 11th minute. Takuro Kaneko assisted Ryoma Watanabe in transition, finding Watanabe all alone on the penalty spot with his cutback ball. Key moment Urawa had one final chance to equalize in the last minute of stoppage time, but goalkeeper Yann Sommer tipped the long-distance attempt directly from the free kick over the crossbar. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Takeaways Inter Milan takes over the top spot in Group E after following up their tournament-opening draw with the victory. The Italian club will play River Plate of Argentina on Wednesday. Urawa will be playing for pride against CF Monterrey on Wednesday. ___ AP soccer:
