CONCORD, NC — NASCAR veteran Denny Hamlin didn’t hold back Monday when he weighed in on the aggressive driving of fellow competitor Carson Hocevar following Sunday’s Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway. On his Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin took aim at what he called “reckless” maneuvers by Hocevar — sparking plenty of conversation in the garage and online as the Cup Series season heats up.
Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing’s seasoned driver with more than 50 career Cup wins — including three Daytona 500 victories — said he respects competitiveness but believes there’s a difference between tough racing and moves that “don’t need to be made.” He zeroed in on Hocevar’s late-race aggression in Atlanta that contributed to a crash involving Christopher Bell and rattled other competitors. Hocevar ultimately rebounded to finish fourth, a result that lifted him to fourth in the early 2026 Cup Series standings through two races.
“I keep hearing, ‘Well, he’s going for it,’” Hamlin said on the podcast. “So if I’m three car lengths behind Carson Hocevar and I go through the grass into Turn 1, is that just me going for it, or is that me being an idiot?” Hamlin argued that throwing around the “he’s going for it” excuse isn’t good enough, and he urged Hocevar — and others — to consider the long game of winning races rather than simply making headlines.
While Hamlin’s tone was direct, his message also carried a hint of practical coaching. He suggested that Hocevar’s style, while exciting for fans, may eventually bring consequences on the track when rival drivers decide they won’t be patient with aggressive moves. “As a competitor, though, like, eventually, it’s going to come back around,” Hamlin said, warning that Hocevar could find himself on the receiving end of retaliation if he doesn’t balance aggression with respect.
Hamlin didn’t shy away from using colorful analogies in the online clip — including a tweet that compared the situation to dealing with misbehavior: “Puppies are great, but if they shit in your bed you gonna just lay in it? Or teach the puppy where to properly take a dump?” — a turn of phrase that got reactions from fans across social media.
Hocevar, meanwhile, has gained attention for his bold style in just his second full season with Spire Motorsports, quickly becoming one of the sport’s most talked-about drivers. His current standing near the top of the points table reflects both his results and the momentum he’s building even in the face of sharp critiques from veterans like Hamlin.
Hamlin, who has long been one of NASCAR’s most outspoken figures off the track, mixed seriousness with humor in his appraisal, underscoring a broader theme in the Cup Series: the balance between racing hard and racing smart. As the season progresses, that conversational duel may soon carry back onto the track — where words ultimately give way to wheels and paint.
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