On a Wednesday afternoon in 1999, the Intimidator showed his true colors. Terry Labonte was driving his car to the checkered flag at Bristol Motor Speedway when a black No. 3 car shone in his rearview mirror. Dale Earnhardt executed a bump-and-run, leaving Labonte’s car crippled and himself charging to the victory. Does this 26-year-old incident remind you of recent events? Well, at least Dale Earnhardt Jr feels that connection.

Last weekend in Nashville, Carson Hocevar set off his latest round of controversy. What he invited was a big stream of backlash and criticism, and at the same time, a nod of respect for his superior racecraft. But despite the iconic personality of the youngster, Dale Jr chose to chide him first.

Dale Earnhardt Jr gives out a mixed verdict

Since his Craftsman Truck Series career, Carson Hocevar has irked his rivals. The 2023 Truck Series championship race saw him spinning Corey Heim and himself out in the closing laps. As a rookie Cup Series driver, he landed himself a $50,000 penalty for intentionally wrecking Harrison Burton. Then, in 2025, a volley of slingshot passes, taking drivers three-wide, hold-your-breath blocks, and aggressive moves landed him in hot water with rivals in Atlanta. Nashville saw Hocevar simply taking out his frustration on Ricky Stenhouse Jr, a driver who had avoided DNFs since last year. On lap 106, Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevy bumped the No. 47 and left it slamming the wall.

This unprecedented move left the entire NASCAR grid shocked. From 23-time Cup Series race winner and race analyst Jeff Burton to newly placed Amazon Prime analyst Carl Edwards, veterans severely disapproved of Carson Hocevar’s tactics. Even his team’s head, Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson, chided him for that unnecessary wreck. Dale Earnhardt Jr also joined this critical group, emphasizing how Hocevar could have avoided his aggression: “I don’t know who was wrong about that thing down at Turn 3 between Ricky and Carson. But I do know, Carson had time to save Ricky’s ass there and not wreck him.”

Nevertheless, Carson Hocevar charged to a runner-up finish by the end of the Cracker Barrel 400 race. This determination to finish well and disregard his own reputation strongly echoes Dale Earnhardt Sr’s style. The Intimidator may have a growing successor, as Dale Earnhardt Jr agreed: “I think the guy reminds me of like a 1979 Dale Earnhardt – fast, not scared to use his front bumper, doesn’t care if someone gets mad about it, on the verge of becoming a star. I say that to maybe encourage Carson to continue what he’s doing because Dale Earnhardt ended up becoming a seven-time champion, and that aggressive style was something that endeared him to a lot of people.”

Hocevar’s angry antics have indeed made the headlines of the Nashville weekend. While Dale Earnhardt Jr draws an unusual connection with his dad, the driver’s team also applauded him.

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Happiness in the chaos: The silver lining for Hocevar

Well, if it were just about the wrecks, Carson Hocevar would not have drawn sympathy. Nobody would have liked a hot-headed rabble-rouser who does not race well. However, the 22-year-old speedster packs immense talent in his wheeling skills. In just his first year at NASCAR’s top level, Hocevar collected 6 top tens and 1 top five, comfortably clinching the Rookie of the Year trophy with over a 100-point margin over his rival. In 2025, Hocevar has already grabbed 3 top ten finishes and 2 top fives across 14 races. At the Coca-Cola 600 race, he had a solid chance of finishing well until his engine blew up. The youngster worked hard, remained focused, and delivered in kind at Nashville, earning a runner-up finish.

So, while his team co-owner got mad at Hocevar for wrecking Ricky Stenhouse Jr, he is still happy. Jeff Dickerson emphasized how the situation is kind of suitable. Dickerson said, “We still had our drama there. I wish he would have just cut Ricky a break more than anything. I don’t know if that was entirely on Carson, but I do expect him to cut a guy a break like that. That’s all part of the building block. I’d rather be having that discussion with him after a second-place run than 32nd.” He added, “This was more of a workmanlike, mature finish for the group. I’m proud of (Hocevar).”

Clearly, Carson Hocevar is drumming up truckloads of expectations from the NASCAR garage. From a comparison with the Intimidator to appreciation from his team, the racer has a bright future ahead.