NASCAR driver fined $50,000 for calling Mexico City a “shit hole”

NASCAR Cup Series team Spire Motorsports has imposed a fine of $50,000 on its driver Carson Hocevar for making disparaging remarks about Mexico City.

Ahead of NASCAR’s first visit to Autodrome Hermano Rodriguez last weekend, Hocevar described Mexico City as a “shit hole” in a live stream on Twitch.

Those comments drew widespread criticism and prompted Spire Motorsports to take disciplinary action in consultation with NASCAR.

Hocevar will be required to pay $50,000 to the team, which will be donated to three different charities that serve Mexican communities.

Apart from the monetary fine, the 22-year-old was also mandated cultural-sensitivity and bias-awareness training by the team.

Hocevar, who finished the race down in 34th-place, took to social media to apologise for his comments.

The Cup Series sophomore said he had developed a false narrative about Mexico’s capital based on what he had from other people and his opinion has changed after visiting the city for the first time.

“Maybe a kid that had never been out of the country until Thursday should ever give an opinion about what any place is like other than Portage, Michigan,” Hocevar said.

“When I answered that question on a stream, I was sceptical about the trip so far and believed everything I read or heard about Mexico City from people who more than likely also had never been here.

“Now that I’ve actually left my hotel a couple times and raced here in front of some of the most passionate fans I’ve ever seen, my opinion has changed. I am embarrassed by my comments, by the race I ran, and I may have to move here to hide out from Ricky [Stenhouse Jr.] anyway.

“Count this as another lesson for me in a season I’ve learned so much. Don’t believe everything you hear without seeing it yourself. If anyone should give anyone or any place the benefit of the doubt it’s me. I’m sorry Mexico City. Consider me an ally going forward and an example of getting off Twitch and seeing things with my own two eyes.”

Full statement from Spire Motorsports

After a thorough internal review of Carson Hocevar’s recent livestream remarks about Mexico City, and in close consultation with NASCAR, Spire Motorsports is issuing the following disciplinary measures:

• A $50,000 fine, which will be donated in equal portions to three organizations that serve Mexican communities:
 – Cruz Roja Mexicana (Mexican Red Cross) — providing humanitarian and medical relief across Mexico.
 – Un Kilo de Ayuda — a nonprofit combating childhood malnutrition and supporting early-childhood development in rural communities.
 – Fondo Unido México (United Way Mexico) — funding local NGOs that improve education, health, and housing in 22 Mexican states.

• Mandatory cultural-sensitivity and bias-awareness training to be completed by Carson Hocevar.

These actions are consistent with Spire Motorsports’ core value of RESPECT, which is something we proudly display on every race car, team uniform, trackside hauler, and digital channel. Respect is not a slogan. It is a daily expectation that we “walk the walk” in how we speak, compete, and serve the communities that welcome our sport.

Carson Hocevar’s recent comments made during the livestream fell short of that standard. They did not represent the views of Spire Motorsports, our partners, or NASCAR. He has acknowledged his mistake publicly, and his prompt, sincere apology demonstrated personal accountability. We now take this additional step to underscore that words carry weight, and respect must be lived out loud.

Spire Motorsports has informed NASCAR of these penalties, and NASCAR has confirmed that our team-imposed discipline satisfies the sanctioning body’s requirements. Together we remain committed to showcasing NASCAR’s global growth, celebrating the passionate Mexican fanbase we experienced firsthand last weekend, and ensuring every member of our organization treats hosts, competitors, and communities with dignity.

We look forward to turning the page by racing hard, representing our partners, and living our values on and off the track.