Denny Hamlin sounds off on Carson Hocevar comments to Zane Smith after Watkins Glen

Carson Hocevar attempted to make amends with Zane Smith after Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen International, one week after wrecking him at Iowa Speedway. Late in the race, Hocevar pulled to the side on the exit of Turn 5 and allowed Smith to go by him for 17th.

Hocevar approached Smith’s car on pit road after the race. He leaned into his car and said, “Hey, I know that doesn’t make up for it, but you can expect that in the next couple weeks, OK?”

Denny Hamlin, who last week expressed concern that Hocevar’s attitude could hurt him in the long run, had zero issues with Hocevar’s actions at Watkins Glen. He said on Monday’s “Actions Detrimental” podcast that it’s a good idea for Hocevar to “pay back favors on the racetrack.”

“This is where we have to recognize he’s saying what he’s saying publicly and then he’s doing something else privately,” Hamlin said. “He’s clearly acknowledging that he messed up with Zane at Iowa, unintentionally wrecked him at Iowa, so he’s trying to pay back favors on the racetrack to make good of that.

“… It’s wanting to keep the public persona one way, and obviously trying to do the right thing on the racetrack, which I have no issues with. I mean, I think he should. If you choose sit in front of the guy you wrecked last week, more than likely you’re gonna get sent. Probably a good idea on his part to get out of the way and he should over the next few weeks.”

This is what Carson Hocevar told Zane Smith via Smith's onboard: "Hey, I know that doesn't make up for it, but you can expect that in the next couple weeks, okay?"

Will have to dig further but it seems like Hocevar may have cut Smith a break late in the race. They ran 17th/18th https://t.co/nNapxCwYB0 pic.twitter.com/7FtPuzLKd9

— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) August 10, 2025

Zane Smith ripped Carson Hocevar after run-in at Iowa

Hocevar has ruffled the feathers of several drivers in the garage, from Smith to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to Brad Keselowski among others. His run-in with Smith at Iowa resulted in Smith’s crew chief Ryan Bergenty interrupting an interview Hocevar was doing to confront the driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet.

To think, just last year, Hocevar and Smith were teammates at Spire Motorsports. That doesn’t matter; Smith is far from a Hocevar fan.

“I think that the media feeds into him trying to play this like, ‘Intimidator’ role, but then he’ll act like he’s your buddy, and then just be an idiot on social media,” Smith told Zach Sturniolo of NASCAR.com before the race. “I was teammates with him, and everyone at that race shop, everyone in this garage, realizes he’s an idiot.”

Have things changed between the two after Watkins Glen? We have yet to hear from Smith, who reportedly declined comment after the race. We’ll see if Smith opens up this weekend at Richmond Raceway.