Carson Hocevar fined $50k by his race team for derogatory comments about Mexico City

New York Times

6 hours ago

NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar has been fined $50,000 by his race team, Spire Motorsports, and will be required to undergo sensitivity training after calling Mexico City a 's—hole' on a livestream over the weekend.
Hocevar streamed on Twitch from Mexico City on Friday night, prior to NASCAR's first Cup Series points race outside the United States since 1958, and listed various complaints about the trip. They included concerns about safety in the city and feeling unable to leave his upscale hotel.
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The comments did not come to light until after the completion of Sunday night's race (Hocevar finished 34th), after which Hocevar issued an apology on social media. Hocevar's No. 77 car was sponsored in the race by Totalplay, a Mexican telecommunications company.
Hocevar wrote he had never been out of the United States until Thursday and had been skeptical about the trip, believing 'everything I read or heard about Mexico City from people who more than likely also had never been here.'
'Now that I've actually left my hotel a couple times and raced here in front of some of the most passionate fans I've ever seen, my opinion has changed,' he wrote. 'I am embarrassed by my comments. … I'm sorry Mexico City. Consider me an ally going forward and an example of getting off Twitch and seeing things with my own two eyes.'
Spire said Hocevar violated its company policy and was penalizing him 'in close consultation with NASCAR,' which planned to discipline the driver if the team had not taken action.
Hocevar's $50,000 fine will be split among three organizations that serve Mexican communities — the Mexican Red Cross, United Way Mexico and a nonprofit that combats childhood malnutrition. His mandatory training will include sessions on cultural sensitivity and bias awareness.
Spire, which has the word 'Respect' displayed prominently on its cars, uniforms, haulers, website and inside the race shop, said Hocevar's comments 'fell short of that standard.'
'They did not represent the views of Spire Motorsports, our partners, or NASCAR,' Spire said in a statement. 'He has acknowledged his mistake publicly, and his prompt, sincere apology demonstrated personal accountability. We now take this additional step to underscore that words carry weight, and respect must be lived out loud.'
Spire said it informed NASCAR of the penalties, which 'satisfies the sanctioning body's requirements.'
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'Together we remain committed to showcasing NASCAR's global growth, celebrating the passionate Mexican fanbase we experienced firsthand last weekend, and ensuring every member of our organization treats hosts, competitors, and communities with dignity,' Spire said.
Hocevar wasn't the only member of the NASCAR community who publicly aired displeasure with the Mexico City trip. Tab Boyd, the spotter for Hyak Motorsports driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., posted on X that 'people can talk it up all they want' but 'can't even walk out the front door of the hotel without getting hustled and money snatched in less than five minutes.'
'Good area my a–,' he added.
Boyd's X account was deleted as of Monday morning, and it was unclear whether he remained employed by Hyak as of Tuesday evening.