Carson Hocevar’s aggressive style has not gone unnoticed Think Dale Earnhardt Sr., the Intimidator, glaring through his mustache, or Tony Stewart, smirking as he muscled rivals aside. Early-career Kyle Busch fits the mold too. But Busch didn’t hold back about Hocevar’s antics, bluntly calling him a “d—-bag.”
It all went down when Hocevar’s No. 77 car bumped Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Ford, spinning Blaney out. Over the radio, a fired-up Blaney too labeled Hocevar a “moron.” Once the checkered flag dropped, Blaney tracked down the rookie, telling him to cool it and race with more sense. The Cup Series has been feeling a bit too nice lately, and this clash shows it might finally be heating up. But the arrival of Carson Hocevar has got Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s beloved legend turned broadcaster, practically begging for more chaos.
“I’m not on the racetrack, and I’m sure if I was in Kyle Busch’s car and saw what Kyle Busch saw, I would probably have the same frustration,” Dale Jr. admitted. “But as a viewer and a fan, I just see a guy trying to do everything he can to win. Yeah, he knocked the hell out of some people, and he’s changing lanes and ignoring people, and he’s wild. But he’s young. And I just feel like he’s fast. He’s going to be here. He’s going to stick around.” But if you would ask Kyle Busch now he won’t agree especially after his Atlanta run-in.
Now, Dale Jr. isn’t alone in his assessment. Longtime spotter TJ Majors agrees, “I hate when he’s around the car that I’m spotting, but man, we need that in our sport. We need the guy that’s going to make the move that these other guys aren’t comfortable making at times.” Junior might be remembering his who had built his legacy on his intimidating, no-holds-barred style, famously spinning out Terry Labonte to win at Bristol in 1999.
For now, Hocevar continues to push boundaries, drawing both admiration and frustration. Whether he can refine his approach and become a respected force in the sport remains to be seen. “The veterans need to get him in a headlock and say, ‘Look, man, you’re great. You’ve got talent. You need to clean this s*** up,’” Junior mused. “He’ll want to earn the respect of his peers, even though he says differently post-race. ‘I ain’t here to make friends.’ He does want that respect. We all do.”
Feb 19, 2024; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar (77) wrecks during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
Perhaps Kyle Busch might share some thoughts of this criticism Junior talked about. Back when Rowdy was fresh into NASCAR at 21 years old, he tangled with drivers like Tony Stewart. In one such incident at Phoenix, Casey Mears’ verdict set Rowdy on a different path. Mears said, “When he grows up, he’s going to be a real good race car driver.” And while Busch didn’t give up on his aggression completely, he showed a drastic switch. And it’s not just Kyle Busch who has experienced it.
Joey Logano faced similar criticism early in his career. Dubbed “Sliced Bread” as a young driver, he struggled to find balance between aggression and control. Over time, he refined his approach, winning multiple championships while maintaining his aggressive edge. If Hocevar can learn from these past examples, he has the potential to follow a similar trajectory. Even Ross Chastain faced something when he came into the sport. Back in 2023, Chastain’s aggressive approach became talking the point after clashing with Hendrick Motorsports cars. It wasn’t until Mr. H got involved about his drivers giving it back to Chastain that he relented.
Despite the criticism, Hocevar remains unapologetic. “We’re here to win races, not be a boy band and love each other and play on a playground together,” he said after Atlanta. His mindset mirrors that of past NASCAR greats who valued results over friendships.
Dale Jr. was happy with the show put on at Atlanta
The NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway was a total blast. There were 50 lead changes, 15 drivers taking turns up front, and 11 yellow flags and fans were glued to every second. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who’s now a broadcaster, kept buzzing about it online. The Goodyear tires were a game-changer. Junior liked how they left rubber all over the track, making the cars hard to control. That kept things exciting and impossible to predict, which was a big part of the fun.
Dale Jr. thought the whole Carson Hocevar episode was great TV, saying, “Put a camera on @CarsonHocevar, and we’re all set for the day.” Hocevar definitely brought the drama. “Man this racetrack has something special. I’m tensed up! What these drivers are doing is so mentally tough. Feels like everything is on edge.” summed by Dale Jr’s tweet about his excitement.
When it was over, Christopher Bell took the win, charging up from outside the top 10 with just 30 laps to go. Kyle Busch barely beat Stewart Friesen in a super-close finish in the Truck Series, adding more hype. Dale Jr. had a feeling it’d be wild he’d backed Chase Elliott’s prediction that Atlanta would be awesome. Dale Jr. also loved the crazy racing in the middle of the pack. “The action back there is wild,” he wrote. Roof cameras let fans see every close call and tight battle, keeping the thrill going strong.
Atlanta Motor Speedway showed why it’s a top track. With all the lead swaps, wrecks, and an overtime finish that had everyone holding their breath, it was pure NASCAR magic. It’s the kind of day that makes the Cup Series so much fun to watch.
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