“Probably Unnecessary!” Kevin Harvick Blames Ryan Blaney for Bristol Carson Hocevar Drama

The biggest topic of discussion is the NASCAR community is still the fight between Carson Hocevar and Ryan Blaney last Saturday night at Bristol. It was the result of the stage three wreck that ruined the race of the No:12 Ford driver. Ex-champion Kevin Harvick discussed the drama in the latest episode of the SPEED with Harvick and Buxton podcast.

Talking about the incident that led to the fist fight post-race, the 2014 champion admitted that the Team Penske driver is to predominately blame for it. He shouldn’t have made such an aggressive move to defend his position in the moment and it was wrong from his side to expect someone that has never lifted fir someone on the track to do it for him.

Well, I think in the moment itself, look, I believe Blaney had the faster car at that point. I don’t think he needed to risk throwing a block. You put the car behind you at a 50% choice that they have to make. And Hocevar hasn’t lifted for anybody. And he put Blaney in the fence, and I think Blaney put himself in a position to get wrecked.

Kevin Harvick said on his podcast.

Ryan Blaney put himself in the sketchy situation and got wrecked and even the Ford driver himself admitted that in a conversation with Denny Hamlin. Kevin Harvick admitted that Carson Hocevar had the pace to immediately take the lead back from the No:12 and it was unnecessary to make such an aggressive block.

I think that Blaney put him in a position where you’re trying to win the race at the end of a Bristol race. And he chose to keep the throttle down and turn him around. I don’t think that’s all on Carson, to be perfectly honest with you. I think that was a block from Blaney that, in my opinion, was probably unnecessary at the time. I think he was going to drive right around him.

Kevin Harvick added via SPEED with Harvick and Buxton.

Later in the same conversation, the veteran talked about the fight and highlighted how the aggressive confrontation started by Blaney led to it. Hocevar can confidently claim that he was just defending himself by punching the Ford driver first and the drama didn’t playout how anyone expected it would.

I’m angrier than talking. And a lot of times, you go into those situations looking to aggressively talk. I think that the hands-on Carson were what immediately threw that into a moment of self-defense on Carson’s side. So, he definitely defended himself. He had what looked like an eight-inch reach advantage when he threw that punch on Blaney, but the emotions were high. And I don’t think that’s how Blaney thought that was going to go.

Kevin Harvick asserted.

Richard Petty blames Ryan Blaney for the wreck leading to the fight

Seven times NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty also had a similar observation about the wreck that led to the whole drama. He refused to blame Hocevar for the wreck, and the fault is on Blaney, for the making the wrong decision.

Okay, and all they had to move over was that much, because the 77 was up right already on his bumper, and all it took was, bam, and the party’s over. So, I can’t blame the 77 for that. You know what I mean? I’m going to have to blame the 12 for really trying to block him. So, he would have cleared him down the front stretch. But that’s an afterthought for me.

Richard Petty said.

The comments from the former champion are on point and these public observations helps the Spire Motorsport youngster to position himself in a better spot in the PR game. It would be interesting to see how the Hocevar-Blaney drama is going to playout in the coming days.

Also Read: Bubba Wallace Reveals How Carson Hocevar Cracked NASCAR Fame Formula While Frustrating Rivals