This afternoon’s news about NASCAR’s decision to propose penalties is sending shockwaves through the garage and among its fans. The organization announced that three Cup Series teams would face fines and disciplinary action after a drama-filled Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Both Carson Hocevar and Josh Berry were fined, and points were subsequently docked for their on-track actions on Sunday.
Ryan Preece and RFK Racing’s No. 60 team also faced a penalty for a loose wheel that came off while the car was on the track. And the distinctions matter. Unlike Hocevar, NASCAR did not penalize Preece for brake-checking another driver. Instead, the action against Preece and RFK centered strictly on a safety failure involving the right-rear wheel.
Hocevar, meanwhile, received the heaviest individual penalty: a $100,000 fine and a 25-point driver penalty. NASCAR cited multiple violations of Section 4.4a of its Rule Book, which covers penalty options and actions that are detrimental to stock car racing. The sanctioning body said the rule applies to intentionally wrecking or spinning another vehicle and to whether the vehicle should be removed from competition, which is the case for Hocevar in Sunday’s Championship finale at Homestead-Miami.
The incident that has everyone talking involved Austin Cindric’s No. 2 Team Penske Ford during stage 2 of the Martinsville race. An extensive review of SMT data and radio communications reportedly preceded the decision. Hocevar repeatedly braked in front of Cindric on the track’s straightaways, causing an unwanted incident. As a result of Hocevar’s purposeful brake checking, the two cars made contact, severely damaging Cindric’s car and ending his day early. The data revealed four hard-braking instances, while Hocevar’s spotter repeatedly told him to stop.
That repetition helps explain why the penalty was so much more severe than Berry’s. NASCAR Vice President of Competition Elton Sawyer said that the review included both data and radio. He also noted that Hocevar had been part of several behavioral meetings with NASCAR in previous years. Hocevar was hit with a $100,000 fine, reflecting the sanctioning body’s view of the repeated conduct, not simply the damage from one exchange.
Berry was fined $50,000 and also lost 25 driver points under Section 4.4a. His incident happened on Lap 253 and involved Ryan Blaney. After the cars made contact, Berry got loose and braked hard in front of Blaney. The No. 12 Ford sustained front-end damage and spun in Turn 1, bringing out a caution. Berry disputed the suggestion that he deliberately brake-checked Blaney, saying he was trying to gather his car after getting loose. NASCAR nevertheless determined that his actions crossed the line set by Section 4.4a.
The distinction in the penalties came down in part to the evidence of repeated conduct in Hocevar’s case and NASCAR’s prior behavioral discussions with him. Preece’s situation fell under a separate part of the rulebook. Section 8.8.10.4 A and D address tires, wheels, and safety violations, including the loss or separation of an improperly installed tire or wheel during an event. On Lap 225, the right-rear wheel came off Preece’s No. 60 Ford during a restart, bringing out a caution.
The penalty points to the crew members responsible for installing the wheel improperly. Rear tire changer James Price and jackman Samuel Wright were suspended from the next two Cup Series events, covering the Homestead-Miami finale and the Clash at Daytona on Feb. 13, 2027. Preece was held two laps during the Martinsville event, but Tuesday’s suspension was not a points deduction or a personal fine. Those are separate violations. Hocevar faced another consequence beyond NASCAR’s ruling.
Earlier today, Spire Motorsports announced that it had suspended him for the Homestead finale, with Justin Haley taking over the No. 77 Chevrolet. The team described that as its own decision, separate from NASCAR’s penalty. Martinsville’s short-track racing has always allowed hard contact, but the rulebook draws a boundary between moving a rival and deliberately putting another car in danger. NASCAR’s actions this week show where it believes that boundary was crossed. For Hocevar and Berry, it was a matter of on-track conduct. For Preece’s team, it was a wheel that should never have come loose.
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