“If I want to hear that accent, I’ll watch Formula 1”: Former NASCAR reporter admits to being ‘xenophobic’ about Leigh Diffey

Former NASCAR ESPN pit reporter John Kernan fired shots at Australian-American reporter Leigh Diffey following Sunday’s Cup Series race at Iowa. For Diffey, it was the beginning of his 14-race NASCAR stint in 2025, as televised on NBC.

Diffey is a popular voice at motorsports events, including Supercross, IndyCar, the IMSA WeatherTech Championship, and the World Athletics Championship. He replaced Rick Allen in the NBC and USA Cup Series broadcast booth following the 2024 NASCAR season.

However, Kernan didn’t seem too fond of Diffey’s accent. Claiming to be ‘xenophobic’, Kernan took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and wrote,

“I think I’m done with NASCAR. After further review stage racing SUCKS! And I’m sure Leigh Diffey is a great guy but, if I want to hear that accent, I’ll watch Formula 1. Sorry, guess I’m xenophobic.”

As things stand, Diffey will be heard calling races from now on until the coveted NASCAR Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway, which is scheduled for November 2. Only three races remain till the opening round of the playoffs kicks off at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, August 31.

William Byron won the race at Iowa, marking his second victory of the season and his 15th overall. Thanks to his run at the 0.875-mile racetrack, the Hendrick Motorsports ace is back to being the Cup Series points leader.

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NASCAR commentator Leigh Diffey coins a new nickname for Carson Hocevar

After Sunday’s race at Iowa Speedway, Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar will be known by a new name, all thanks to Leigh Diffey. Just when the Spire Motorsports driver entered the top five, Diffey exclaimed,

“Here comes the Hurricane!”

Well, Zane Smith got caught in that ‘hurricane’ during Lap 229 of Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350. The Front Row Motorsports driver got wrecked by Hocevar and, as a result, finished 36th.

It was the second week in a row that the 26-year-old speedster got sidelined due to an on-track incident. Last week, it was Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell, and well, this week, it was Carson 'Hurricane' Hocevar.

So Carson Hocevar is now “Hurricane” Hocevar. He finished the race in P8, marking his sixth top-10 of the season. Hocevar is one of the drivers still vying for their maiden win of the year, and he has just three more races to do it before the playoffs begin.

Hocevar is currently in his sophomore season driving the No. 77 Chevy Camaro full-time in the Cup Series. His most recent win came in May 2025, but that was in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Back in 2020, the Portage, Michigan, native won the prestigious Winchester 400, a 400-lap super late model race held annually at the Winchester Speedway in Winchester, Indiana.