NASCAR has issued significant financial penalties to Carson Hocevar and Josh Berry following separate brake-checking incidents at Martinsville Speedway on Nov. 1. The sanctioning body fined Hocevar $100,000 and Berry $50,000, while docking both drivers 25 championship points. In its weekly penalty report, NASCAR classified the actions as “behavioral” incidents and “actions detrimental to stock car racing,” specifically noting that Hocevar committed “multiple violations of the code of conduct.”
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The infractions directly impacted Team Penske drivers, with Hocevar’s deliberate brake-checking of Austin Cindric destroying the front end of the No. 2 Ford and forcing Cindric to retire from the race. Video evidence captured Hocevar’s spotter, Tyler Green, urgently pleading with the driver to stop “fooling around” with Cindric, highlighting the intentional nature of the contact. Berry’s penalty stems from a separate incident during the same event that resulted in additional damage to another competitor’s vehicle.
These penalties follow Spire Motorsports’ decision to suspend Hocevar for the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway this Sunday. Justin Haley will replace Hocevar behind the wheel of the No. 77 Chevrolet for the final race of the season. The sanctions underscore NASCAR’s continued enforcement of its code of conduct, sending a clear message that intentional, race-altering interference will result in severe financial and points-based consequences for Cup Series competitors.
Source: Yahoo Sports
