Carson Hocevar has officially entered his villain era, and he’s embracing every bit of it. NASCAR fans love a driver who isn’t afraid to ruffle feathers, and Hocevar is just doing that. On his way to his career-best 2nd-place finish in Atlanta, he made many enemies on the track. He traded paint with Kyle Busch, sent Ryan Blaney spinning, and even had a heated post-race exchange with Ross Chastain.

Rowdy even threatened to wreck the entire field: “I don’t care if I wreck the whole [expletive] field. I’m over him,” Busch fumed on the radio. His aggressive racing style divided the NASCAR garage, but Hocevar? He doesn’t seem to care. While NASCAR fans are still debating his on-track antics, the Spire Motorsports driver is now taking shots at the heart of American food culture. And this time, he’s not after NASCAR legends like Jeff Gordon and Bubba Wallace; he’s calling out millions of fans across the world.

Carson Hocevar crosses the line with the latest Pizza rant!

In 2024, Carson Hocevar signed a multiyear deal with Spire Motorsports to join the Cup Series as a full-time venture. In his rookie year, he dominated multiple races, but what set him apart was his unapologetic driving style. From wrecking Ty Gibbs in retaliation at Martinsville to intentionally hooking into Harrison Burton, Hocevar made it clear that he was here just to win. While his on-track antics are still under scrutiny by the NASCAR garage and fans, the 2024 Rookie of the Year has dropped another bombshell.

In a viral Instagram rant, he declared war on certain pizza toppings and even claimed that extra cheese was “just a scam.” While playing on his racing simulator, Hocevar revealed how someone’s Pizza topping can talk about their real side. “You can 100% judge people based on if they like pizza and what they get on their pizza,” Hocevar said. However, he quickly escalated things by saying that authorities should jail anyone who likes barbecue, pineapple, or mac and cheese on their pizza.

“…Double jail. Because double—you’re just accepting a scam. Double cheese is just a scam. 100%, no doubt. No question. Double cheese? You called the police asking for a robbery. That’s the type of person you are,” Hocevar explained. While his comments were meant to be humorous, they put him in direct opposition to some of NASCAR’s biggest names. If Hocevar really believes pineapple pizza lovers deserve jail, then Jeff Gordon better watch out.

The four-time Cup Series champion has proudly expressed his love for the controversial topping. After his legendary Brickyard 400 win in 2014, Gordon revealed his post-race meal of choice—ham and pineapple pizza. “I think I’m going to eat that tonight, too. I’m starving,” he told the media. And Gordon isn’t alone. Bubba Wallace, Noah Gragson, and even seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson have all been known to enjoy pineapple on their pizza.

But Hocevar’s rant goes even further. According to a YouGov report, 11% of Americans prefer extra cheese on their pizza, a group Hocevar just called victims of a scam. With the U.S. being the second-largest consumer of pizza in the world and NASCAR’s deep ties to the food (remember all the Hunt Brothers Pizza, Pizza Hut, and Domino’s sponsorships?), Hocevar might have just picked a fight he can’t win.

However, for all the headlines he’s been making off the track, Hocevar has been struggling where it matters most. After his Atlanta performance, he failed to capitalize on the momentum. He had two DNFs in the last three races, including an early exit in the Xfinity Series race at COTA. Despite having a competitive car, he hasn’t secured a single top-10 finish since his controversial run at Atlanta.

And things don’t look promising. Las Vegas Motor Speedway has not been kind to Hocevar. In seven combined starts across the Cup and Truck Series, he has just one top-10 finish. That, too, came in Trucks in 2023. In Cup races, he has a best finish of 15th, which came exactly a year ago at the Pennzoil 400. While an aggressive style might have gained him attention, it’s not translating into consistent results. If he doesn’t turn things around soon, his reputation as NASCAR’s villain might not be enough to keep him in the spotlight.

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Noah Gragson is in love with Hocevar’s driving style!

Despite the backlash from drivers like Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney, Carson Hocevar has also gained some support. NASCAR veterans like Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have supported him. However, the 22-year-old driver has gained some unexpected support from fellow driver Noah Gragson. The former Stewart-Haas Racing driver believes NASCAR needs more drivers like Hocevar.

“You’ve got to get these guys to show their personality. I love what Carson Hocevar is doing right now. Is he a pain in the a– to race against? One thousand percent. But is he being successful on the racetrack? One thousand percent. At the end of the day, he’s got people talking. He’s got the pot stirred up. And he’s kind of the villain right now. He needs to double down on that and sell T-shirts, get people talking,” he said.

Notably, Gragson isn’t alone in this belief. NASCAR’s popularity has been on the decline, and many believe that aggressive, no-nonsense drivers like Hocevar are what the sport needs to reignite fan interest. Back in the day, NASCAR was full of big personalities like Dale Earnhardt, Tony Stewart, Rusty Wallace, Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin. These guys weren’t afraid to mix it up and make enemies.

Now, with corporate sponsors controlling every move, drivers have become too careful. Noah Gragson, who has had his own run-ins with NASCAR’s “play it safe” culture, echoes similar sentiments. “It just makes it impossible for these guys to be outspoken and really show who they are,” he added. That’s why Gragson is rooting for Hocevar. Love him or hate him, the Spire Motorsports driver is making NASCAR fun again.

He’s bringing back rivalries, he’s making headlines, and he’s not afraid to speak his mind. However, to continue to be the new heel face of the sport, Hocevar needs to do his talking on the racetrack as well. If he fails to translate his aggression into results, he will look like a big mouth. For now, he is focusing on the upcoming Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.