Carson Hocevar didn’t just leave Atlanta with his career-best performance, he also left with a long list of angry drivers. The 22-year-old driver finished second in the Ambetter Health 400, but his aggressive driving style once again put him in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. During the 260-lap race, Hocevar made some astonishing moves, but it fumed the NASCAR garage as many drivers expressed their frustration with the No.77 Spire Motorsports driver.

One of the key moments of the race saw Hocevar triggering a massive wreck when he spun Ryan Blaney. This left Blaney furious as he was competing at the front for the win. Blaney wasted no time ripping into Hocevar over the radio, calling him a “moron.” It was not the first time when a driver questioned Hocevar’s move. At the end of Stage 1, Kyle Busch was very furious at the Spire driver as he threatened to wreck him. Even Ross Chastain, one of Hocevar’s biggest supporters, had a heated discussion with him after the race.

The controversy didn’t end on the track. A day after the Atlanta race, Hocevar fired a sarcastic shot at NASCAR, criticizing their decision to throw a caution instead of letting the race finish under green. That decision saw Christopher Bell winning the race ahead of Hocevar and Kyle Larson. In a reply to NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck, he revealed that he didn’t want NASCAR to cut short the race.

“Hi Jeff, I enjoyed all 399.5 miles! Although I am not sure if the race was produced by Michael Bay or not, I would prefer to not have the finish cut off so abruptly next time,” wrote Hocevar by sharing a video of his final moves. While some questioned his racing style and moves, NASCAR fans rallied behind him.

One supporter responded, “Spot on, Carson! Watching your onboard on the cool-down lap, it was clear the track was clear and only one disabled car remained. Overreaction is the only reaction in the official tower.” Notably, the inconsistency in NASCAR’s decision-making has become the talk of the town. Hocevar’s frustration mirrored the outrage of many fans who questioned why NASCAR allowed a last-lap crash in the Xfinity Series race to play out but ended the Cup race under yellow.

Part-time Xfinity Series driver Josh Bilicki also echoed the frustration, asked, “Am I the only one confused on why they threw the caution today but not yesterday?” However, this fan support means a lot for Hocevar, who is currently facing a lot of backlash from the NASCAR garage. While the Michigan native didn’t bother about others, he issued an apology to Rick Hendrick and his team.

As the dust settled in Atlanta, Hocevar addressed the controversy surrounding his late-race moves. He apologized to Hendrick and Kyle Larson for pushing Christopher Bell to the win instead of helping his Chevrolet teammate. “I apologize to Mr. H, everybody at HMS. They help us out a lot, and I didn’t realize we weren’t racing back to the line. I hit the 20 to get him out of the way and fill the middle,” Hocevar said after the race.

However, he refused to back down. “We’re here to win races, not be a boy band and love each other and play on the playground together,” he said. While his moves didn’t go well with drivers like Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney, many fans supported him for his antics. The outrage from veteran drivers painted Hocevar as NASCAR’s latest villain, but the response from fans told a different story.

NASCAR fans rally behind Carson Hocevar!

While Hocevar’s driving style has made him a villain in the garage, many fans love his no-nonsense approach. They argue that NASCAR needs more drivers like him who are fearless, aggressive, and willing to shake things up. Some fans pointed out the hypocrisy in how Hocevar is treated compared to veteran drivers. “It cracks me up that people criticize Carson, yet if it were Logano, Busch, or Keselowski, it would just be ‘hard racing,’” one fan wrote.

Notably, drivers like Kyle Busch have been one of the most polarizing figures in NASCAR. The two-time Cup Series champion aggressively drives and takes a no-nonsense approach. He has been a big advocate for aggressive driving. But his contradictory response to Carson Hocevar’s moves triggered a huge backlash from fans. A user wrote, “Good running yesterday and ignore the hate. People want more aggression with drivers and then proceed to hate on it when they get it.”

Meanwhile, several fans encouraged Hocevar to keep his edge, arguing that he should focus on winning, not making friends. “You’re there to win, not make friends!” one user wrote. Another user echoed, “Don’t change your ways. The sport needs you the way you are.” These comments reflect that NASCAR fans loved how Hocevar took out everything that came his way. He started from 26th and finished second that too due to caution reflects that he had the pace and motive to win the race.

But was there a need to apologise to Hendrick Motorsports?  Well, those who admired Hocevar’s racecraft were confused with his post-race gesture. A user said, “I’m sorry you had to apologize to HMS. You get paid to win, not to cup the balls.” While fans slammed HMS and Rick Hendrick, not a single HMS team member questioned Hocevar publicly, but everyone knows that Spire Motorsports runs in a technical alliance with HMS. For now, one thing is certain: love him or hate him, Carson Hocevar isn’t going anywhere. His aggressive driving has earned him fans and enemies alike, but one thing is clear—he’s making NASCAR exciting.