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Trackhouse Racing rookie Connor Zilisch said Carson Hocevar and Josh Berry took a “pretty cheap” shot when they brake-checked Team Penske drivers at Martinsville Speedway, and criticized them for not owning up to it afterward.
Zilisch made the comments in his weekly appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Zilisch: ‘I didn’t think people were actually going to do it’
Zilisch said drivers had talked in the garage about how the softer short-track bumpers could be used to ruin someone’s day, but he did not expect anyone to try it.
“I didn’t really think about it a ton until it happened. I didn’t think people were actually going to do it,” Zilisch said. “We all knew that it was an opportunity to ruin somebody’s day. But that and actually doing something is much different. It was pretty crazy to see all that stuff happen. I didn’t expect it to become a reality like it did.”
“I feel like it’s pretty cheap to do what those guys did. And especially not owning up to it in post-race interviews. And none of it looked very good on their part.”
“You can get frustrated, and things can happen. I get it. But you’ve got to be able to control your emotions and not let stuff like that frustrate you to the point where you’re going to do that to somebody.”
‘Beyond the limits of self-policing’
Zilisch said NASCAR was right to step in.
“I think this one was blatant enough that you have to try and police it,” he said. “When it’s on purpose and you’re not trying to hide it, I feel like that’s beyond the limits of self-policing.”
NASCAR docked both drivers 25 points and fined Hocevar $100,000 and Berry $50,000, as Pit This Time reported. Hocevar’s Spire Motorsports team also suspended him for Sunday’s finale. Hocevar later apologized, saying he “crossed the line.” Berry has denied brake-checking Ryan Blaney.
The two incidents knocked Austin Cindric out of the race and left Blaney 59 laps down in 35th.
Racing with the new bumpers
Zilisch said the bumper change made him more careful at Martinsville.
“I definitely put more emphasis on stack-ups and making sure that I had space and was aware of when guys would get down the lane to stack, and you have to be ready to check up,” he said. “I certainly was more cautious than the past times I’ve been to Martinsville. You had to watch out and certainly do your best to keep your nose clean because you didn’t want to end your day with something silly.”
Zilisch drives for Trackhouse Racing and will move to Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 48 in 2028. The Cup finale is Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC from Homestead-Miami Speedway.
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