HAMPTON, Ga. – Despite their meeting Saturday with NASCAR officials, there appeared little chance that the roiling controversy between drivers Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar is any closer to a resolution.
In fact, quite the opposite.
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“I just don’t like him,” Smith told reporters after his Saturday qualifying run. It is far from the first time Smith has indicated the two won’t be going bowling together or sharing a bag of peanuts.
Asked about the result of the session with NASCAR officials, Smith said, “I think we both understand where we’re at with everything, but it doesn’t change how much he dislikes me and how much I dislike him.”
Hocevar, interviewed earlier in the day, said he is surprised that the controversy with Smith continues and that he was summoned to meet with officials.
“I’ve never been called to the hauler after getting wrecked,” he said. “It’s funny. It seemed like a racing deal.”
Hocevar was referring to contact between Smith’s car and his during last week’s race at Chicagoland Speedway, the latest incident in a continuing saga featuring the two.
There were no penalties issued by NASCAR during or after the race, but the two were called to meet with series officials at EchoPark, as were Shane van Gisbergen and Austin Hill, who have their own ongoing set of issues.
Asked if he could race Smith going forward without incident, Hocevar said, “I already did. I’m looking forward to it. I told the guys in the NASCAR hauler, if you expect it to continue, I don’t know if I would have picked this week. We’re going to Atlanta. If we were going to Martinsville or something, yeah, it makes sense. I don’t know if you could wreck anybody intentionally here at Atlanta. It will be hard to do.”
Hocevar said controversy fuels racing. “That’s what drives the sport – passion and clashing,” he said. “It’s good.”
Smith was asked if he could race Hocevar without any trouble resulting. “No,” he said bluntly.
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Asked if he has issues with Hocevar, who has built a reputation as an aggressive driver, because of his racing style or his attitude, Smith said, “It’s both.”
The issues between the drivers have spilled over into social media and have sparked a back-and-forth in website stories and radio/television reports.
“I have no problem with anyone else, and I’m not going to go create the trouble,” Smith said. “I believe in racing people like they race me. But if he brings that to me, we’ll go from there.”
Sunday’s Cup Series race at EchoPark is slated for 7 p.m. ET (TNT Sports, truTV, HBO Max, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Hocevar qualified 14th while Smith will roll off 34th.