The NASCAR offseason usually brings quiet news, but the week after the 2026 Cup Series ended at Homestead-Miami Speedway turned into a chaotic spectacle. Just five days after the season wrapped up, Denny Hamlin and Carson Hocevar were back on the track. They did not drive their fast Cup cars. Instead, they raced in battered Ford Crown Victorias at Cleetus McFarland’s 2.4 Hours of LeMullets in Bradenton, Florida. The event on Friday, Nov. 13, was supposed to be a relaxed exhibition. It turned into a war of contact and spins that had fans talking nonstop.
Hocevar and his teammate Cleetus McFarland survived the mess to win the race, marking their second straight year taking the checkered flag at the event. Hamlin did not get the trophy. He drove with Alex Presley and finished third after a rough night. The damage to his car was severe. Hamlin posted a video on X showing the battered vehicle. He joked about the destruction with a simple assessment. “Hit everything but the lottery,” he joked, according to Heavy.com.
Suspension Drama Looms Over the Fun
While the drivers enjoyed the mud and metal, serious business was happening behind the scenes. Carson Hocevar faced a suspension for the Cup Series championship race at Homestead-Miami. The trouble started at Martinsville Speedway during the Xfinity 500. Data showed Hocevar brake-checked Austin Cindric multiple times. This contact ended Cindric’s race with terminal damage. NASCAR fined Hocevar $100,000 and took away 25 driver points. Spire Motorsports replaced him with Justin Haley for the finale.
Jeff Dickerson, the co-owner of Spire, called the suspension the toughest decision of his career. He spoke on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio about the need for the driver to learn. Dickerson explained that sitting out was a harsh lesson. “Well, yeah, I mean for a race car driver, I don’t think there’s any worse punishment than having to sit there and watch your car go around in circles,” Dickerson said. He compared the move to a parent taking car keys away from a teenager who missed curfew.
Experience Could Be a Trap for Kahne
While Hocevar learns from his suspension, Denny Hamlin is already looking at the future. Kasey Kahne’s return to full-time racing received commentary from the Joe Gibbs Racing driver. He has not raced full-time in eight years. Hamlin believes this long break will hurt Kahne more than help him. “experience will work against him,” Hamlin said, according to AOL.com.
Younger drivers like Riggs and Honeycutt remember what their trucks did last race. Kahne does not have those notes. Hamlin thinks the veteran will be a step behind. Kahne is excited for the chance. Kahne has won five of his six Truck Series starts in the past, but the gap in time is real.
The Line Between Aggression and Chaos
The weekend proved that the drivers still have fire, even without the season on the line. Dickerson made it clear that Spire likes Hocevar’s aggressive style, but only up to a point. The team owner drew a hard line at Martinsville. “That’s not what we saw at Martinsville. We don’t want to race like that. Badasses don’t back into people, right?” Dickerson said. He believes the suspension will help Hocevar understand where that line is. The driver now knows the team expects better behavior.
The LeMullets race showed that the drivers are ready to mix it up again. Hamlin and Hocevar proved they can handle the chaos of a Crown Victoria fight. But the serious penalties from the Cup season remind everyone that the rules still apply. Spire Motorsports will watch Kahne closely in 2027. The team wants a veteran presence, but they need results. Kahne returns to a sport that has changed while he was gone. The No. 77 truck is ready for the 2027 season, but the driver must adapt fast.
