At the Phoenix Raceway finale of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the outcome hinged on an east-versus-west collision that left championship hopes in ruins—and a young driver nearly in tears.
The pivotal moment
Championship contender Carson Hocevar, battling wheel-to-wheel with Corey Heim on Lap 119 of 179, bumped Heim so hard that Heim spun out—effectively derailing his shot at the title. The move unleashed a torrent of collisions and nearly took out other title contenders.
Hocevar’s raw remorse
Standing away from the media scrum, visibly shaken, Hocevar owned his mistake:
“He should win the championship… I didn’t want to do that at all.”
NBC Sports captured his solemn admission: “I messed up,” he conceded, noting it wasn’t intentional but in hindsight simply wrong. ()
Behind the scenes drama
Following the incident, Heim retaliated—squeezing Hocevar into the wall. That triggered further wrecks involving Grant Enfinger and others, ultimately muddling the Championship 4 race beyond recovery.
Enfinger, in position to seize the title before the chaos, was forced to pit during the chaos—opening the door for Ben Rhodes, who eventually claimed his second series championship.
Opinions on Hocevar’s aggressive style
Corey Heim, already frustrated, did not bite his tongue:
“He obviously screwed up… He’ll wreck you and apologize and then he’ll do it again next week.”
Other veterans offered soured evaluations. Dale Earnhardt Jr. said the move was “indefensible” and warned that such aggression could threaten Hocevar’s long-term prospects.
A shame-packed moment
Reflecting on the incident, sources described it as “embarrassing,” “a tragicomedy.” Hocevar himself admitted post-race, heads bowed, that he just “fucked up” and felt he “should crawl into a hole.”
Final Assessment
Carson Hocevar came into Phoenix with momentum and confidence, but an overzealous move turned his championship opportunity into a caution-laden catastrophe. Though deeply regretful and fully owning his mistake, his aggressive driving style drew scrutiny—not just for this race, but for how it could shape his future trajectory in NASCAR. What began as a quest for glory finished in chaos… and embarrassment he won’t soon forget.
