NASCAR has always thrived on its heroes and villains. As 44-year-old Denny Hamlin recently hinted at retirement within the next six years, saying “there’s no way I’ll ever make it” to Mark Martin’s 50-year benchmark, the sport finds itself at a familiar crossroads. Every generation needs its villain—the driver fans love to hate. Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch were the ones who proudly owned this title, but after Kurt’s retirement and Rowdy’s move to RCR, it was Hamlin who took up the mantle.

While Denny Hamlin has embraced his antagonist role in recent years, becoming one of the sport’s most polarizing figures despite his 56 career wins, a new challenger is stepping up to claim the black hat. Carson Hocevar, the 22-year-old Spire Motorsports driver, isn’t just making waves with his aggressive driving style—he’s embracing the villain role that has historically fueled NASCAR’s greatest rivalries.

Ruffling feathers or flaring tempers might not be the best idea for a young driver who is just making his name in the game. However, Hocevar is built different and has taken Dale Earnhardt’s advice of, “It doesn’t matter if they are booing or cheering, as long as they’re making noise,” to heart.

Carson Hocevar isn’t looking to make friends while racing in NASCAR

Hocevar’s aggressive moves at Atlanta earlier this season turned heads and ignited tempers throughout the garage. After running Kyle Busch up the track with a bold block and later spinning Ryan Blaney, the young driver found himself confronted by multiple competitors post-race. Even his mentor, Ross Chastain, waited in line to give him an earful. Busch’s radio transmission revealed the two-time champion’s fury: “I don’t care if I wreck the whole f—— field, I’m over him. He’s a (expletive) douchebag. I’m going to wreck his (expletive).”

Even Rowdy’s intimidation didn’t deter the drive. And when asked if he will continue on this villain arc, Hocervar replied. “I’m just going to be me.” He said this while speaking on Rubbin is Racing podcast. The Spire Motorsports driver explained, “I would embrace whatever it is, but at the same time, I don’t think I’d go too much with it, right? It doesn’t feel genuine. I think it’s most important to feel genuine, and how they feel is how they wanna feel.”

This attitude isn’t new for Hocevar. His history includes controversial moments like apparently spinning Corey Heim during the 2023 Truck Series finale and spinning Harrison Burton under caution at Nashville, which earned him a $50,000 fine and a 25-point penalty. Dale Earnhardt Jr. once directly confronted him, asking, “when are you going to stop wrecking (expletive)?”

When asked if Hocevar had given satisfactory answers after their Atlanta conversation, Chastain simply replied, “No, sir,” indicating the young driver remains unrepentant about his aggressive tactics. Kyle Busch pointed to a deeper issue, noting an incident from years earlier when Hocevar sideswiped him at Kalamazoo Speedway: “He hasn’t learned not one thing because he hasn’t been under someone’s wing this entire time.”

Hocevar’s trajectory mirrors that of previous NASCAR villains who found success through their aggressive approaches. Joey Logano transformed his career after changing to a win-at-all-costs mentality in 2013, becoming one of the sport’s most accomplished drivers despite fan animosity. Interestingly, this villain path often leads to greater success. Consider Ross Chastain, who was viewed as an up-and-coming villain until 2023, when pressure from team owner Rick Hendrick seemingly tamed his aggressive style. Since then, Chastain has won just three races and missed the 2024 playoffs after previously making the Championship 4.

Connor Zilisch, an 18-year-old JR Motorsports driver, recently took a subtle dig at Hocevar’s approach: “You don’t want to go out there and let them bully you and take advantage of you because you’re a rookie. But at the same time, you can’t overdo it and do what Carson did this weekend and pi– everyone off, because that’s how you get yourself in trouble.”

As Denny Hamlin contemplates his final years in NASCAR, having admitted, “When I stop, it will be an abrupt stop,” the sport appears poised for its next-generation villain. Whether fans embrace or despise him, Hocevar’s unapologetic style ensures NASCAR will continue its tradition of compelling personalities that keep audiences emotionally invested long after today’s veterans hang up their helmets. If anything, expect similar fireworks at Talladega this weekend from the driver of the #77 Chevy.

Trending

1

Richard “The King” Petty’s Hall of Famer Crew Chief Unleashes Truth Behind Championship Wins and Relentless Pit Decisions

2

Ex-NASCAR Champion & Motorsports Hall of Famer’s Death Leaves Racing World Mourning

3

Tony Stewart’s NHRA Success Triggers Wild 9-Word Verdict From NASCAR Insider Amidst Bold Declaration

4

Jeff Gordon Mourns Death of ‘Most Trusted’ Partner, Sharing Heartfelt Tribute for the NASCAR’s Unsung Legend

5

NASCAR Fans Confused as Kyle Larson’s Insanity Forces Roger Penske to Bring the “Larson” Rule to IndyCar

Hocervar might have found a remedy for superspeedway racing

Superspeedway racing is just different. It is a solo show, but you have to make friends to survive until the final few moments of the race. Thanks to NASCAR’s Next Gen parity racing, the entire field is bunched up, and often the cars running in the third row onwards are running on half throttle. This is what everyone calls the fuel-saving strategy. Although it looks good on TV, it also builds the steam for a moment where a driver has to make a tough call, which more times than not leads to a big wreck.

Remember the Daytona 500? Joey Logano’s late charge with 15 to go was blocked by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and it wiped out the race leaders like Austin Dillon and Kyle Busch. Next came Atlanta, and this is where Carson Hocervar took no prisoners as he marched onto the front. It’s not that the young driver intends to race dirty, but at speedway, he’s got only so much to work with. “I told my guys, I’m just going to run the thing out of fuel, because I’m bored of it and I’m just gonna do a protest. I’m going to hold it wide open, the entire time and hope to get a yellow that I don’t run out of fuel. But if not, I’m gonna run the thing out of fuel.”

Clearly, Hocevar’s had enough of the fuel-saving tactics that only lead to wrecks and crashes. So this weekend’s Jack Link’s 500 is going to be a blockbuster, as we might see a new trend of superspeedway racing with Hocevar leading the charge.