- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,257,611
- Reaction score
- 59
Anyone watching Sunday’s Brickyard 400 probably caught one of the race’s most talked-about moments away from the front of the field.
During a green-flag pit cycle, Carson Hocevar leaned toward Corey Heim and flashed his middle finger as the two exited pit road side by side. The gesture immediately caught the attention of fans and television cameras, leaving many wondering what sparked it.
The answer goes back much further than Indianapolis.
What looked like a spontaneous act of frustration was actually the latest chapter in one of NASCAR’s most heated rivalries, one that has followed Hocevar and Heim from the Truck Series to the Cup Series.
The exchange happened on Lap 91 during a round of green-flag pit stops.
Heim exited pit road ahead of Hocevar and allowed his 23XI Racing teammate, Denny Hamlin, to merge into line before closing the door on Hocevar. As the two accelerated back onto the track, Hocevar extended his middle finger toward Heim.
After the race, Hocevar brushed off the moment with a sarcastic explanation before acknowledging the reality of their relationship.
“I’m just a fan, wanted to wave. He’s number one. He won,” Hocevar joked.
He then added:
“It’s fine. We don’t like each other, but we race really hard and his stuff’s super-fast, obviously. Yeah, the car he’s in, but he does a really, really good job with it. I’m looking forward to, when we get our stuff a little better, being in front of him, and maybe holding him off.”
The tension between the two drivers didn’t begin Sunday.
Their rivalry dates back to the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship race, when contact between Hocevar and Heim dramatically altered the title fight. Hocevar spun Heim while battling for position, Heim retaliated shortly afterward, and the caution that followed ultimately changed the complexion of the championship race.
Neither driver has completely moved past that night. Sunday’s pit road exchange showed those feelings remain very much alive.
Ironically, Heim didn’t even see Hocevar’s gesture during the race. He only learned about it after TNT Sports showed him the replay during its post-race coverage.
His response was brief. “I handed him a big fat L.”
Heim, who won the Brickyard 400 in his Cup Series debut for 23XI Racing, was later asked more about the incident during his post-race press conference.
Instead, he turned the attention back toward the finishing order.
“Where did he finish today?”
When reporters answered that Hocevar finished ninth, Heim replied:
“Huh. You guys love talking about a guy that finished ninth. I mean, holy crap.
“Yeah, I mean, all I did was make sure he stayed behind me, and I did, and I finished in front of him. I don’t worry about a narrative or a genre. Like, he’s got a ton of talent, and he’s going to win a lot of races, and I’m focused on myself and trying to do the same. That’s really all there is to it.”
While Sunday’s exchange lasted only a few seconds, it served as another reminder that one of NASCAR’s most personal rivalries isn’t going away anytime soon. And with both Hocevar and Heim expected to be contenders for years to come, Indianapolis is unlikely to be the final chapter.
Continue reading...
During a green-flag pit cycle, Carson Hocevar leaned toward Corey Heim and flashed his middle finger as the two exited pit road side by side. The gesture immediately caught the attention of fans and television cameras, leaving many wondering what sparked it.
The answer goes back much further than Indianapolis.
What looked like a spontaneous act of frustration was actually the latest chapter in one of NASCAR’s most heated rivalries, one that has followed Hocevar and Heim from the Truck Series to the Cup Series.
Corey Heim’s pit road move sparked Carson Hocevar’s reaction
The exchange happened on Lap 91 during a round of green-flag pit stops.
Heim exited pit road ahead of Hocevar and allowed his 23XI Racing teammate, Denny Hamlin, to merge into line before closing the door on Hocevar. As the two accelerated back onto the track, Hocevar extended his middle finger toward Heim.
After the race, Hocevar brushed off the moment with a sarcastic explanation before acknowledging the reality of their relationship.
“I’m just a fan, wanted to wave. He’s number one. He won,” Hocevar joked.
He then added:
“It’s fine. We don’t like each other, but we race really hard and his stuff’s super-fast, obviously. Yeah, the car he’s in, but he does a really, really good job with it. I’m looking forward to, when we get our stuff a little better, being in front of him, and maybe holding him off.”
The Hocevar-Heim rivalry started years before the Brickyard 400
The tension between the two drivers didn’t begin Sunday.
Their rivalry dates back to the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship race, when contact between Hocevar and Heim dramatically altered the title fight. Hocevar spun Heim while battling for position, Heim retaliated shortly afterward, and the caution that followed ultimately changed the complexion of the championship race.
Neither driver has completely moved past that night. Sunday’s pit road exchange showed those feelings remain very much alive.
Ironically, Heim didn’t even see Hocevar’s gesture during the race. He only learned about it after TNT Sports showed him the replay during its post-race coverage.
His response was brief. “I handed him a big fat L.”
Heim, who won the Brickyard 400 in his Cup Series debut for 23XI Racing, was later asked more about the incident during his post-race press conference.
Instead, he turned the attention back toward the finishing order.
“Where did he finish today?”
When reporters answered that Hocevar finished ninth, Heim replied:
“Huh. You guys love talking about a guy that finished ninth. I mean, holy crap.
“Yeah, I mean, all I did was make sure he stayed behind me, and I did, and I finished in front of him. I don’t worry about a narrative or a genre. Like, he’s got a ton of talent, and he’s going to win a lot of races, and I’m focused on myself and trying to do the same. That’s really all there is to it.”
While Sunday’s exchange lasted only a few seconds, it served as another reminder that one of NASCAR’s most personal rivalries isn’t going away anytime soon. And with both Hocevar and Heim expected to be contenders for years to come, Indianapolis is unlikely to be the final chapter.
Continue reading...
