If you are looking for someone to blame for the red flag wreck at the end of the Truck Series race at Pocono, point at Carson Hocevar. The young driver got a talking-to from Parker Kligerman after the race. Hocevar slid up the track going three-wide in a strange move and sent NASCAR trucks spinning behind him. It resulted in a red flag on the track.
Kligerman wasn’t just pissed for no reason. He was collected in that wreck and as a driver and TV analyst for NASCAR on NBC he has a little bit of insight into Hocevar’s move. In other words, Kligerman thinks Hocevar is a better driver than that move showed.
Carson Hocevar had to listen to it from Kligerman and his crew chief. Chris Carrier was ready to tear a new one in Hocevar.
“Not a single person all day went three-wide into [Turn] 1 on the bottom and pulled it off,” Kligerman said to Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports. “These trucks don’t have that power they don’t have the momentum is always going to go to the top. He just threw it in there on a low-percentage move. I was like ‘You just creamed three or four trucks with, what was going to be the result? When are you going to pull that off?’ So he admitted he was wrong, and he’s better than that. I don’t know what he was thinking.”
To his credit, Carson Hocevar owned up to the mistake. While he is known for his aggression, he has a lot to learn still. So, you just try to move on to the next one.
Kyle Busch went on to take the checkered flag in this Pocono Truck Series race. He pulled off a last-lap move on Corey Heim to claim the win.
Carson Hocevar understands Kligerman’s frustration
Despite causing a massive wreck, Carson Hocevar has shown maturity lately. The driver he was last season would not have had the humility to deal with this moment. Kligerman and his crew chief really got into him. Honestly, for good reason.
Drivers have to hold each other accountable. While it doesn’t always work, a young driver willing to learn
“Parker was obviously really upset with me and of course, we talked about it. I think he understood my side. Obviously, roles reversed, I’d be really upset. So, I get it. Going into that moment I thought I was going to be in a spot where I was fine and have enough grip. Coming out of that, I wish I didn’t make that [move].”
So, this is going to be another mark against Hocevar for the haters. However, the driver has shown that he is a serious talent in NASCAR. We could very well see him racing on Sundays very soon.
That, more than anything, has to be frustrating for Kligerman. He knows the kind of talent Carson Hocevar has and just wants him to drive like it. You live and you learn and maybe next time, Hocevar won’t take his truck into Turn 1 like that.
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