NASCAR has fined Cup Series driver Zane Smith $50,000 following a postrace incident at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday. The penalty came after Smith deliberately collided with Carson Hocevar’s car during the cooldown lap, defying previous warnings from NASCAR officials to avoid such conduct.

Mike Forde, NASCAR’s vice president of racing communications, explained that both Smith and Hocevar had been cautioned in July after an on-track altercation at Chicagoland Speedway. The pair were summoned to a meeting in the hauler at Atlanta Motor Speedway where NASCAR delivered a stern warning about maintaining professionalism and refraining from postrace contact.

“After they had their dustup on the racetrack, we called both of them in at Atlanta,” Forde said on the “Hauler Talk” podcast. “We don’t typically like talking about what we tell those drivers in the hauler. But in this case, pretty much the message was this: If you guys can’t figure it out, we will help you figure it out. And they couldn’t figure it out. So this is us pretty much helping. Zane Smith figured it out a little bit in the form of a $50,000 fine.”

The fine underscores NASCAR’s strict stance on postrace behavior and its willingness to enforce disciplinary measures to preserve safety and sportsmanship. While such meetings with drivers are not common, Forde emphasized that the organization takes these interventions seriously when warranted.

No additional disciplinary actions have been reported against Hocevar following the incident at Phoenix Raceway. NASCAR continues to monitor driver conduct closely, particularly in the aftermath of races when tensions can run high.