Motorsports

Built to Race – Inside UNC Charlotte

UNC Charlotte is the acceleration point of racing innovation. This May, UNC Charlotte is putting the pedal down. And the racing world is taking notice. From the banks of NASCAR’s fiercest tracks to the sharp turns of real-world data analytics, Charlotte students and alumni are proving that the future of racing doesn’t happen by chance. […]

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1 month ago

May 13, 2025

Your Sports Nation

UNC Charlotte is the acceleration point of racing innovation.

This May, UNC Charlotte is putting the pedal down. And the racing world is taking notice.

From the banks of NASCAR’s fiercest tracks to the sharp turns of real-world data analytics, Charlotte students and alumni are proving that the future of racing doesn’t happen by chance. At Charlotte, racing innovation isn’t just studied — it’s built hands-on every day.

Home to the renowned Alan D. Kulwicki Motorsports Laboratory, one of the nation’s top undergraduate Motorsports Engineering programs and a standout Formula SAE team, UNC Charlotte sits at the heart of the racing industry, just five miles from NASCAR’s biggest names.

That’s why when Charlotte students and alumni hit the track, they’re ready to lead the pack.

Here’s how they’re taking the fast lane to the future:

Lane 1: Speed on the track — Riggs’ big moment

This month, UNC Charlotte alum and rising NASCAR Truck Series star Layne Riggs ’24 takes on two of the sport’s biggest stages — with his truck, suit and pit proudly backed by his alma mater.

Riggs, a graduate of Charlotte’s nationally recognized Motorsports Engineering program, will race at North Wilkesboro Speedway May 17 and Charlotte Motor Speedway May 23 as part of Coca-Cola 600 Race Weekend.

Currently, he sits ninth in the driver standings, with two top-five and three top-10 finishes in the first nine races of the 2025 season. It’s a powerful showcase of how UNC Charlotte’s spirit of innovation fuels success at the highest levels of competition. When Layne hits the track, he carries more than speed … he carries a legacy of excellence built here in Charlotte.

Start your engines – Niner Nation is headed to Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Lane 2: Next generation — Heather Hadley takes national stage

Photo credit: Chris Photography LLC

Speed runs deep at Charlotte, and Riggs isn’t the only Niner making headlines.

UNC Charlotte graduate and rising motorsports driver Heather Hadley is featured in the new Amazon Prime series “First to the Finish,” which spotlights the next generation of racing leaders. Hadley’s journey, from the classroom to the national stage, reflects the University’s growing impact on the future of the sport.

As racing evolves, it’s Charlotte alumni like Hadley who are leading the charge — pushing boundaries, breaking barriers and accelerating the future of motorsports.

Lane 3: Data-driven wins — sports analytics powers the future

At UNC Charlotte, innovation isn’t limited to the driver’s seat; it’s happening in the data streams and strategy rooms, too.

Students from the School of Data Science — the first standalone school of its kind in the Carolinas — recently partnered with 23XI Racing, the NASCAR team co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan. Their challenge was to harness real race-day data and sharpen performance on the track.

Through predictive modeling, pit stop analysis and strategy simulations, Charlotte students helped optimize split-second decisions that make or break a race. It’s real-world learning, built at race speed and it’s redefining what it means to win in motorsports today.

Whether it’s engineering race cars or engineering winning strategies, UNC Charlotte students are leading the future of racing innovation.

Full speed ahead

From the roar of the engines to the precision of the data, UNC Charlotte is proving that racing innovation happens at the acceleration point — where preparation, passion and opportunity collide.

Follow along as we cheer on Layne Riggs, celebrate Heather Hadley’s national series and spotlight the game-changing work of our sports analytics students.

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Motorsports

Spire Motorsports punishes Carson Hocevar for derogatory comments about Mexico City | Sports

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19 minutes ago

June 18, 2025

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Spire Motorsports punishes Carson Hocevar for derogatory comments about Mexico City | APG State News

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39 minutes ago

June 18, 2025

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Spire Motorsports Drops The Hammer on Carson Hocevar for Mexico City Remarks

What’s Happening? Carson Hocevar has been penalized by Spire Motorsports, his own team, following controversial comments about Mexico made during a live stream on Twitch ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series race in Mexico City. Hocevar has been fined $50,000 and will be required to complete mandatory cultural-sensitivity and bias-awareness training. The fine will be […]

Published

1 hour ago

June 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

What’s Happening?

Carson Hocevar has been penalized by Spire Motorsports, his own team, following controversial comments about Mexico made during a live stream on Twitch ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series race in Mexico City.

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Motorsports

Spire hits Carson Hocevar with internal penalty, massive fine for Twitch stream Mexico City comments

Carson Hocevar has been internally disciplined by Spire Motorsports for offensive comments he made about Mexico on a Twitch stream ahead of last week’s race in Mexico City. Spire released a statement on Tuesday outlining the disciplinary measures and Hocevar has now responded to the penalty. Hocevar was fined $50,000. The proceeds will be donated […]

Published

1 hour ago

June 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Carson Hocevar has been internally disciplined by Spire Motorsports for offensive comments he made about Mexico on a Twitch stream ahead of last week’s race in Mexico City. Spire released a statement on Tuesday outlining the disciplinary measures and Hocevar has now responded to the penalty.

Hocevar was fined $50,000. The proceeds will be donated to three organizations that serve Mexican communities. The driver of the No. 77 car will also be subject to mandatory cultural sensitivity and bias awareness training.

“These actions are consistent with Spire Motorsports’ core value of RESPECT, which is something we proudly display on every race car, team uniform, trackside hauler, and digital channel,” Spire’s statement read. “Respect is not a slogan. It is a daily expectation that we ‘walk the walk’ in how we speak, compete, and serve the communities that welcome our sport.

“Carson Hocevar’s recent comments made during the livestream fell short of that standard. They did not represent the views of Spire Motorsports, our partners, or NASCAR. He has acknowledged his mistake publicly, and his prompt, sincere apology demonstrated personal accountability. We now take this additional step to underscore that words carry weight, and respect must be lived out loud.”

Shortly after Spire announced the penalty, Hocevar responded via his Twitter account:

Whoa everybody, the truth is the truth. I said something that not only was wrong, I said it without even laying my own two eyes on CDMX or turning one lap in an actual race at an amazing facility that welcomed me with open arms and I go and say that? Thank you for the support… https://t.co/yYUITkEoOV

— Carson Hocevar (@CarsonHocevar) June 18, 2025

Hocevar had previously noted that he thought Mexico was “such a s**hole,” going on to question the country’s infrastructure, its safety and more in a live stream on Twitch ahead of this weekend’s race. He walked back those comments in a tweet on Sunday evening.

“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 wrote. “When I answered that question on a stream, I was skeptical 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 (Stenhouse Jr.) anyway.”

His last line will certainly earn him some laughs from the fans. Hocevar was berated and threatened after the race by Stenhouse after a prior dust-up on the track.

Joking about it will certainly help ease the tension, especially because Stenhouse vowed too “beat his ass once we got back in the States.” In any case, it’s clear Carson Hocevar feels differently about Mexico now.

“Count this as another lesson for me in a season I’ve learned so much,” Hocevar wrote in conclusion. “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.”

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Spire Motorsports punishes Carson Hocevar for derogatory comments about Mexico City

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Spire Motorsports fined Carson Hocevar $50,000 on Tuesday for derogatory comments he made about Mexico City on a live stream as NASCAR raced there last weekend. Hocevar walked back the comments Sunday night with an apology and the 22-year-old admitted it was the first time he’d ever been outside the United States […]

Published

2 hours ago

June 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Spire Motorsports fined Carson Hocevar $50,000 on Tuesday for derogatory comments he made about Mexico City on a live stream as NASCAR raced there last weekend.

Hocevar walked back the comments Sunday night with an apology and the 22-year-old admitted it was the first time he’d ever been outside the United States and believed all the negative things he’d read and heard about Mexico City.

“I am embarrassed by my comments,” he posted in a lengthy apology.

Spire also ordered Hocevar to attend cultural-sensitivity and bias-awareness training.

Spire said the $50,000 fine will be donated in equal portions to three organizations that serve Mexican communities:

Cruz Roja Mexicana (Mexican Red Cross).

Un Kilo de Ayuda, a nonprofit combating childhood malnutrition and supporting early-childhood development in rural communities.

Fondo Unido México (United Way Mexico), which funds local NGOs that improve education, health, and housing in 22 Mexican states.

“These actions are consistent with Spire Motorsports’ core value of RESPECT, which is something we proudly display on every race car, team uniform, trackside hauler, and digital channel,” the team said in a statement. “Respect is not a slogan. It is a daily expectation that we ‘walk the walk’ in how we speak, compete, and serve the communities that welcome our sport.

Spire said it informed NASCAR of Hocevar’s penalties and that it satisfied the sanctioning body’s requirements.

“Together we remain committed to showcasing NASCAR’s global growth, celebrating the passionate Mexican fanbase we experienced firsthand last weekend, and ensuring every member of our organization treats hosts, competitors, and communities with dignity,” Spire said.

“We look forward to turning the page by racing hard, representing our partners, and living our values on and off the track.”

Carson Hocevar drives during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Hermanos Rodríguez race track in Mexico City, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

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