NASCAR penalizes drivers Carson Hocevar and Josh Berry after Martinsville incidents

NASCAR has penalized Cup Series drivers Carson Hocevar and Josh Berry following separate brake-checking incidents at Martinsville Speedway, Yahoo Sports and several other outlets reported. Yahoo Sports, NASCAR.com, Motorsport.com, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, and Jayski all report that both drivers received fines and point deductions for their actions during the race. [1][4][5][6][7][8]

Yahoo Sports reported that Hocevar was assessed a $100,000 fine and a 25-point penalty by NASCAR. Additionally, Spire Motorsports suspended Hocevar for the upcoming season finale, according to Yahoo Sports. NASCAR.com also reported that penalties were issued to the No. 60 RFK Racing team alongside the individual driver sanctions. [1][4]

The penalties follow track actions at Martinsville, where William Byron won the race ahead of teammate Kyle Larson, as FTMQ Sports reported earlier. Motorcycling commentators Burton and Jarrett also publicly criticized Hocevar for his conduct during the event, according to Motorcycle Sports. [2][3][14]

Hocevar drives the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports, while Berry drives the No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Wood Brothers Racing. The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season is scheduled to end on November 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. [1][9][10][11]