HAMPTON, Ga. — Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith will not be planning any vacations together as they move on in the aftermath of a mandatory meeting with NASCAR at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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Smith says that they didn't like each other before heading to the Cup Series hauler on Saturday morning, and that doesn't change now that they have visited the NASCAR equivalent of the principal's office.
"I just don't like him as a human," Smith told the assembled media members on Saturday afternoon. "...I was never racing him much in (the Truck Series), but I just, I don't know, I don't like him."
Smith made these feelings known earlier in the week with a podcast appearance. He made pointed comments about Hocevar, which included referring to him as a coward. He also compared Hocevar's fans to an online troll from a World of Warcraft-themed episode of South Park.
These comments followed an on-track incident at Chicagoland Speedway in which contact from Smith sent Hocevar spinning toward the outside wall. He also spun into the side of Hocevar's Chevrolet.
Someone's going to be upset after this one. pic.twitter.com/ySRKcljPqN
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 5, 2026
This appeared to be more of a "racing incident" in the heat of the moment, and NASCAR chose to move forward without penalizing Smith for the contact. Yet, officials still called both drivers to the hauler at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Hocevar, for his part, provided a different view of the conflict after sitting down with Smith and Cup Series officials. He particularly expressed confusion about being called to the hauler after a wreck started by someone else.
"I didn't even understand the big deal," he said. "We're just racing. ...I don't know. It's funny. It just seemed like a racing deal."
Hocevar also said that Smith's comments caught him off-guard but that he is not bothered by them. Although this gave him the opportunity to make some jokes while discussing his relationship, or lack thereof, with Smith.
"We'll have to go to couples counseling, I'm sure, at some point," he added. "...A lot of times with your partner and everything, you don't see it. So, unfortunate."
Much like another meeting featuring Shane van Gisbergen and Austin Hill, this sitdown with NASCAR may not have the intended effect.
Hocevar continued making jokes about the situation during his bullpen session with media members. He said that he cracked multiple jokes during the meeting and that he got officials laughing.
Smith confirmed that he does not view his former teammate any differently, nor does he like Hocevar's racing style or attitude.
But while the two drivers don't see eye-to-eye, that doesn't mean that they will blatantly wreck each other moving forward. NASCAR has reportedly made clear the consequences of such actions.
They will just continue with the season while taking on more of a Cold War approach.
"I have no problem with anyone else," Smith said. "Like, I'm not going to go create the trouble. I am just a big believer on I'll race you on how you race me, so 'til he proves that to me, we'll go from there."
