Spire Boss Uses Parental Approach with Carson Hocevar After Nashville Incident
Following a controversial on-track clash in Nashville, Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson took a fatherly approach in addressing 22-year-old driver Carson Hocevar’s aggressive move that led to contact with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Despite the incident, Hocevar managed to finish second in the Cracker Barrel 400, while Stenhouse ended up last. The frustration for Stenhouse was compounded by the fact that Hocevar didn’t speak to him post-race, prompting the Hyak Motorsports driver to hint at potential retaliation and raise the matter directly with Dickerson.
Dickerson didn’t hold back in his feedback to Hocevar, calling the move unnecessary. Speaking on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, he recounted telling Hocevar: “You didn’t need to do that. It wasn’t going to cost you anything to let Ricky back in line.” He expressed disappointment that Hocevar didn’t ease up, especially considering his personal friendship with Stenhouse.
Dickerson described how he often mentors Hocevar with a long-term mindset, saying, “There are plenty of times I say to Carson, ‘35-year-old you won’t be proud of this.’” He acknowledged that young drivers often struggle to admit mistakes, adding, “They don’t yet realize it’s actually cool to say, ‘I messed that up.’”
Clarifying his role, Dickerson said he isn’t trying to change Hocevar but wants to guide him: “I want to teach Carson how it is. I’m not looking for wreck-fests. Ricky’s not the type to retaliate by wrecking our car—he’d rather confront Carson directly. And maybe that’s how it should be.”
In closing, Dickerson likened the experience to parenting, emphasizing that sometimes, a person needs to learn the hard way: “It’s like when your kid wants to shut his hand in a car door just to see what it feels like. Sometimes, you just have to let them.”
