Spire Motorsports to Replace Carson Hocevar at Homestead

Spire Motorsports will not field Carson Hocevar in the final race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.

The team announced on Tuesday that the No. 77 driver would be suspended for the November 8 event at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This decision removes Hocevar from the field just days before the season concludes for all three of NASCAR's top series.

The suspension follows a dispute during the November 1 race at Martinsville, where critics accused Hocevar of intentionally spinning his car to trigger a caution flag. The 23-year-old also engaged in a physical altercation with Austin Cindric during the same event.

"We believe in respect. Our integrity matters. This is the right decision," Spire Motorsports said in a statement. The team added that leaving the matter to NASCAR officials would have been the easier path, but internal standards dictated a different course of action.

Justin Haley, a NASCAR veteran who previously drove for Spire, will take the wheel of the No. 77 car for the weekend. Hocevar responded to the news in a separate statement, describing the day as embarrassing. He wrote that his on-track actions gave owner Jeff Dickerson and the team no alternative but to find a replacement.

Hocevar's season featured a mix of high performance and controversy. He secured his first Cup Series victory at Talladega on April 26 and qualified for the postseason for the first time in his career. In 35 races, he recorded 12 top-10 finishes and six top-five finishes.

The driver finished the regular season in 12th place in the points standings. His reputation for aggressive driving and charisma made him a popular figure among fans, though it also led to a viral brawl at Bristol in September.