Carson Hocevar leaks Rockingham Speedway return before it’s official, gets a call from NASCAR

In a puzzling case of accidental comedy, NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar revealed he unknowingly let slip information about the return of Rockingham Speedway that had been, until then, under wraps at NASCAR headquarters, which then phoned him to talk about it.

It started as a throwaway statement on a Twitch live stream and within 24 hours, blew up into news headlines and put Hocevar front and center.

Carson Hocevar admits the leak and NASCAR isn’t pleased

Hocevar has had a reputation for being delightfully candid both on and off the track, and this time, it might have come back to bite him. He casually mentioned that Rockingham would be back on the NASCAR schedule during a live streaming session. Soon after, he posted on Instagram, “I leaked Rockingham. ... I just picked something that I thought would be cool... I had no idea,” confirming the comment was unplanned.

NASCAR promptly reached out to his team, reportedly asking, “How do you know Rockingham’s coming back?” The phone call proved that the governing body had not intended for the news to be out at that point in time.NASCAR has a dedicated place in history down at a track neutrally termed The Rock in the form of Rockingham Speedway. Cup races were held at the North Carolina 0.94-mile oval for nearly 40 years before it was removed from the schedule after 2004.

The track became dormant aside from some sporadic use in the Truck Series in 2012 and 2013. It was quiet for years, but recent renovations and smart planning have led to it being placed back on center stage, with NASCAR planning to return to the facility with Xfinity and Truck Series events in 2025.

Behind the scenes: How the Rock made its comeback

Rockingham returned with a partnership between local Track Enterprises, the promoter of the venue, and Spire Motorsports- Hocevar’s own Cup team.

Mid-2024 agreements enable a return over Easter weekend in 2025. NASCAR had put an extensive marketing push behind the revival, including paint schemes used for promotional purposes, such as a special “Race the Rock” car driven by Michael McDowell in No. 71 at Martinsville.Also Read: 'I am embarrassed by my comments': Carson Hocevar jokes about fleeing to Mexico after clash with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.The schedule change would not be made official by NASCAR for another two and a half weeks, but Hocevar had piqued fans' interest and excitement early with his Twitter slip. It might have made NASCAR's communications staff cranky, but the leak seemed to validate what many fans had hoped anyway: The Rock returns.Hocevar is nothing if not unpredictable, and we saw once again in this true episode. Considered either a shot of refreshing truth or speaking too soon, his candor continues to reverberate in NASCAR.