NASCAR Cup Series star issues apology after derogatory Mexico City comments

NASCAR driver Carson Hocevar has issued a statement apologizing for comments he made regarding Mexico City ahead of Sunday's Cup Series race.

The Viva Mexico 250 was the first international points-paying race in the Cup Series in the modern era, but ahead of the event, Hocevar did not sound impressed.

In fact, on a live stream, the Spire Motorsports driver went as far as to brand the place as a 's**thole'.

“This is how I’d put it, this whole experience. If the travel was better, if getting here was easier, if you felt safer getting to and from everywhere, if it wasn’t such a s**thole, if the track limits were a little better enforced, if it was gonna be a little bit better of a race, and it wasn’t so easy to...or feel so locked down like you can’t leave anywhere, it’d be a great experience," Hocevar said, via

“If you take all those out, it’s unbelievable. It’s great," the No. 77 driver added.

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Carson Hocevar apologizes for Mexico City comments

Hocevar went on to have a miserable race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, finishing 34th and getting on the wrong side of Ricky Stenhouse Jr once again, who subsequently threatened to beat him up once they were back in the States.

Perhaps in a reflective mood after such a bad day, Hocevar issued a statement via social media to apologize for his words ahead of the weekend.

"Maybe a kid that had never been out of the country until Thursday should ever give an opinion about what any place is like other than Portage, Michigan," Hocevar's statement began.

"When I answered that question on a stream, I was sceptical about the trip so far and believed everything I read or heard about Mexico City from people who more than likely also had never been here.

"Now that I’ve actually left my hotel a couple times and raced here in front of some of the most passionate fans I’ve ever seen, my opinion has changed. I am embarrassed by my comments, by the race I ran, and I may have to move here to hide out from Ricky anyway.

"Count this as another lesson for me in a season I’ve learned so much. Don’t believe everything you hear without seeing it yourself. If anyone should give anyone or any place the benefit of the doubt it’s me.

"I’m sorry Mexico City. Consider me an ally going forward and an example of getting off Twitch and seeing things with my own two eyes."

READ MORE: Kyle Larson and Carson Hocevar among NASCAR stars hit with penalties at Mexico City

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