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Carson Hocevar’s already difficult week took another turn for the worse at Pocono Raceway Friday night, where a controversial restart penalty crushed his victory hopes in the MillerTech Battery 200.
The 22-year-old driver’s frustration boiled over into an explosive radio tirade aimed at race winner Layne Riggs and NASCAR officials, adding another chapter to what’s becoming a tumultuous 2025 season.
Carson Hocevar Directs Frustration at Layne Riggs After Restart Penalty
The incident unfolded with just 19 laps remaining when race leader Corey Heim suffered a flat right-rear tire approaching the restart zone. Heim, who had dominated by leading 48 of 80 laps, smartly moved out of the racing line to avoid causing an accident.
This transferred restart control to Riggs, who was running second on the inside front row. However, Hocevar apparently misunderstood the situation and assumed he was now the control vehicle, leading to a restart violation that would cost him dearly.
The penalty triggered an immediate and furious response from Hocevar over his team radio. His anger was clear as he lashed out at Riggs’ restart pace.
“Look at him and see how f***ing slow he goes! He rolls in front of me! What a joke,” Hocevar shouted during the restart sequence.
“Look at him and see how f***ing slow he goes! He rolls in front of me! What a joke.” – Hocevar furious about the penalty#NASCAR #MillerTech200
— Dalton Hopkins (@PitLaneCPT) June 20, 2025
His spotter backed him up, responding: “Yes sir, the series is becoming a joke, copy.”
But Hocevar wasn’t done. He took direct aim at NASCAR Truck Series Managing Director Seth Kramlich with a sarcastic jab: “Good job, Seth.”
.@CarsonHocevar was not happy with the @NASCAR_Trucks Series on Friday at @PoconoRaceway after being called for a restart violation. pic.twitter.com/7vkerPUyId
— Kyle Dalton (@kdsportswriter) June 21, 2025
The restart violation resulted in a black flag penalty, forcing Hocevar to serve a pass-through that dropped him deep in the field. Despite fighting back to finish 13th, the penalty cost him what could have been his first Truck Series victory of 2025.
Layne Riggs Takes Advantage While Hocevar Suffers
While Hocevar dealt with his penalty frustration, Riggs made the most of his opportunity. The Front Row Motorsports driver took control of the restart and never looked back, leading the final 19 laps to capture his first NASCAR Truck Series victory of 2025. He won by 3.640 seconds over runner-up Tanner Gray.
“That’s just a testament to this team,” Riggs said after his victory. “That thing was bad fast, especially that last run right there. I really hate the 11 [Heim] fell out, and I’m not sure what the [Hocevar] was doing on the restart there, but made sure to take advantage of it.”
Got that dub!pic.twitter.com/pxnuh9j6xG
— Front Row Motorsports (@Team_FRM) June 20, 2025
This latest incident adds to Hocevar’s mounting troubles, coming just days after receiving a $50,000 fine from his team for derogatory comments about Mexico City during a livestream.
