Denny Hamlin reacts to Brad Keselowski going after Carson Hocevar at Watkins Glen

One of the more under the radar happenings this past weekend at Watkins Glen International was Brad Keselowski confronting Carson Hocevar on pit road after Saturday’s qualifying session. Footage of the incident didn’t emerge until about 30 minutes before Sunday’s race.

Denny Hamlin didn’t see what happened, he said on Monday’s “Actions Detrimental” podcast. He did explain, however, what likely happened that set off Keselowski.

“I didn’t see what happened,” Hamlin said. “More than likely, here’s what happened is that Keselowski pulls onto the racetrack and Carson is on his flying lap. So, Keselowski wants to go slow for the first few corners to let his stuff warm up before he gets to the alternate start-finish line on the backstretch. Well, as the 77 [Hocevar] is coming up on him, he must have caught Brad at probably not a great time where it made him slow down, maybe not, Carson probably took exception to that.

“Brad was probably trying to get out of his way, Carson felt like his lap was inhibited, so instead of pulling on pit road after finishing his lap, he probably kept going and chose to slow down the 6 when he was on his flying lap the next time around. That’s all I can think because they both said that one screwed the other’s lap up on qualifying.”

Brad Keselowski shares what happened with Carson Hocevar during qualfiying at Watkins Glen

Keselowski told TNT Sports that Hocevar slowed down in front of him while the veteran driver was doing his flying qualifying lap, which he didn’t appreciate. As video showed, Keselowski took off sprinting towards Hocevar after returning to pit road. Keselowski then delivered a message to Hocevar.

“Well, probably not,” Keselowski said when asked if Hocevar understood his message. “I’m over it. We race today.”

Keselowski and Hocevar never came together over the course of 90 laps at Watkins Glen. Both drivers, in need of a victory to clinch their spot in the playoffs, were non factors. Hocevar finished 18th, while a flat tire spoiled Keselowski’s day. He finished P31.

“A great run spoiled by a flat tire… But I’m really proud of our performance these last two months,” Keselowski wrote on X. “Two more shots to win and be in.”