Carson Hocevar’s first Cup win came with some help. In April at Talladega, he got a push from Alex Bowman, used a side-draft to slip past Chris Buescher, and won by 0.114 seconds. Six months later, two PRN Radio hosts are asking a harder question about Sunday’s YellaWood 500: who’s going to push him this time?

On PRNLive, David Styles and Andrew Kurland discussed Hocevar’s chances of winning again. Styles likes Hocevar at +1600 and called it “not a bad bet,” though a risky one. He argued that Hocevar has controlled races before, and that if he reaches the front, he’ll “put that car into weird spaces” to find an edge with or without help.

Andrew Kurland isn’t buying it. “No one’s going to want to help the guy who doesn’t help them,” he said in a short clip posted on X, then gave his bottom line: “I don’t think he’s got any friends out there.”

At superspeedways, positioning and timing can be just as important as outright speed. Drivers need to build runs with help from those behind them, while knowing when to make a move and when to protect their position.

Kurland’s doubt didn’t come out of nowhere. On September 19 at Bristol, contact sent Ryan Blaney into the wall. After the race, Blaney walked over and reached for Hocevar, who responded with punches that sent the Penske driver to the ground. NASCAR issued no penalties. Hocevar later said Blaney is “one of the coolest guys in the garage.”

The bigger problem may be Zane Smith. Their feud goes back at least to a July 5 run-in at Chicagoland. At Phoenix on October 18, Ross Chastain hit Hocevar late, sending him into Smith. After the checkered flag, Smith rammed the back of Hocevar’s car, and NASCAR fined him $50,000.

NASCAR’s Mike Forde said the series had already issued warnings to both drivers after Chicagoland. Denny Hamlin, who watched it up close, said Hocevar isn’t getting the “benefit of the doubt” from other drivers.

Even a Spire teammate might not guarantee that support. Kurland brought up Daniel Suárez’s near-win at Daytona, noting that he had made gutsy moves to put himself in contention. If Suárez and Hocevar were competing for victory, Kurland questioned whether either would simply give way to the other.

To Hocevar’s credit, he has won at this track before, which is why Styles sees potential for a repeat performance. He has demonstrated that he can capitalize on the right opportunity, position his Chevrolet effectively and deliver when the race reaches its decisive moment. But it also reinforces the importance of drafting help, making Kurland’s question particularly relevant ahead of Sunday’s return.

Hocevar himself remains confident about his superspeedway form. Speaking to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, he said, “Minus Daytona when I spun passing for the lead, we’ve been leading [at] every superspeedway.” He also pointed to sixth-place finishes at both Talladega races the year before, suggesting the team’s competitiveness is not limited to his April victory.

In the same FOX Sports report, Hocevar said he believed the team could win without needing another massive wreck like the one that shaped April’s race. He also noted that he has often found himself leading while being the only Chevrolet near the front, which can complicate his position in the draft.

The cars themselves add another twist. NASCAR cut the rear spoiler to 3.5 inches for Talladega, down from seven inches in April and four at Daytona. Pockrass reported that NASCAR asked teams to bring 4-inch spoilers as a fallback.

Spicing things further is the fact that there is no practice scheduled, and the 3.5-inch blade has never been raced. After Daytona, Hocevar said, “handling mattered a little bit more in dirty air.” He believes Talladega will reward drivers willing to lift and create gaps, which suits someone who is happy to take a risk.

There is no points-scoring pressure on Hocevar, as he sits 11th, 158 points behind Kyle Larson. Any driver 153 back after Talladega is out of title contention, according to FOX Sports. This leaves him free to race for the win.

He also told Pockrass he’s working on an upgraded celebration after his April knee-steering burnout, and he asked NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell for a blessing. O’Donnell sounded all in.

So, the big question: who’s right? Both hosts have evidence. Kurland has a Bristol brawl, a fined rival and a veteran in Hamlin saying other drivers don’t give Hocevar room. Styles has a driver who found help in April when it mattered, and who is comfortable making bold moves in the draft.

Talladega rarely follows a script. The fastest way to find friends in a pack is to be at the front, and Hocevar has shown he can get there. Whether anyone wants to push him once he does is the question Sunday will answer.