Ricky Stenhouse Jr. doesn't want a rivalry with Carson Hocevar 'running for 15th'

Despite Stenhouse Jr.'s warranted initial frustration, however, a conversation with Hocevar earlier this week seems to have smoothed things over between the two drivers going into Sunday's race at Michigan International Speedway. 

Stenhouse Jr. appeared on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Friday morning to discuss the incident. 

"After Carson called me this week, I definitely see where he was thinking," Stenhouse Jr. said. "Carson and I hadn't had any issues before. I appreciate him reaching out and explaining what his thought process was. It doesn't change that our NOS Energy Drink Camaro was in the garage at the end of the race, which was unfortunate. We were on a pretty solid roll of getting solid finishes."

"I told Carson, 'I don't mind a good rivalry, I just don't want a rivalry running 15th. If we're battling for wins and battling in the top-five and top-10 week in and week out, that's great. But having a rivalry not competing for wins is difficult." 

It sounds like any potential payback on Stenhouse Jr.'s part likely won't be coming Hocevar's way, but that doesn't mean Stenhouse Jr. will go easy on Hocevar. The two drivers are separated by only two points in the Cup Series standings and are both in the thick of the playoff bubble battle just past the halfway mark of the regular season. 

All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.