Last weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race displayed an array of fireworks. A few massive crashes rocked the drivers’ grid, especially those leading at the front. That is where Carson Hocevar was battling, going up against the cream of the sport, hailing from top-tier teams. Hocevar’s aggressive antics were hardly surprising, as the 23-year-old youngster has a ‘Hurricane’ reputation. Even the great Richard Petty couldn’t help but take notice of him and make an interesting comparison: “He reminds me of Dale Earnhardt.”

But the intimidator’s son, Dale Jr., had a rather different stance on Hocevar’s racing style, claiming that his brand of racing is only going to lead to paybacks at the most crucial times.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. observes a lack of patience

“I feel like eventually, somebody will do something,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on his podcast. “I do. I feel like there will be a time when somebody, maybe Denny, says, ‘You know what, I’m not having a f—— good race today, and you are. So this is my chance. I’m already gonna finish in whatever. So I’m just go ahead and make it hard on you. How’d you like that?”

Wheeling the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Carson Hocevar fetched a remarkable 4th-place finish at EchoPark Speedway. But the way he did it was a testament to his rowdy reputation.

Hocevar rallied from a cut tire that put him two laps down, and during a red flag, relayed a message to competitors about his impending actions. Those actions began when the race entered overtime, as Hocevar plowed into the left rear of Christopher Bell’s No. 20 Toyota and triggered a five-car crash.

Just before this debacle, he told his spotter to tell Christopher Bell’s spotter that Hocevar wants to push “the s— out of him. I don’t care what he has on his car.” Then the No. 77 lined up behind Bell, Tyler Reddick, and Bubba Wallace, and attempted a three-wide move – that caused the crash.

“I was taking every run,” Carson Hocevar said. “I’m sure I owe people apologies, but I think we’re all going for spaces and runs.”

This cocky attitude, Dale Earnhardt Jr. feels, is slowly building a wall of resentment towards the young driver. And Carson Hocevar may get his answer very soon, from somebody like Denny Hamlin. Hamlin co-owns 23XI Racing, for which both Reddick and Wallace drive, and he is also Christopher Bell’s teammate – all three people whom Hocevar tried to upset.

“I definitely think that that will happen. I know that the driver that get out of the car, they’ll say, Oh, he’s gonna regret that one of these days. And we don’t see anything yet. But eventually, yes, eventually, enough’s enough. Somebody will drop a hammer,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. continued.

Riling up an entire crowd of rivals for no shorter than two years, Carson Hocevar might get what Dale Earnhardt Jr. is predicting. And Kevin Harvick heavily agrees with him.

Retired driver swears he would have done something

Kevin Harvick retired at the end of 2023, leaving a golden legacy in NASCAR. Besides the wins and championships, Harvick had cultivated a rowdy reputation himself. In his prime, Harvick had clashes with people like Greg Biffle and Kyle Busch. Now, while witnessing Carson Hocevar’s stunts, Harvick is certain that his patience would have run out by now, confirming Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s claim.

“I think the way I would approach it is, I’d probably wreck him the first chance I got. I mean, if it was me, I would,” the 2014 Cup Series champion said.

“I feel like Carson is going to take a run. He’s going to plug a hole every chance that he gets,” Kevin Harvick continued. “He’s going to put you three-wide. He’s possibly going to put you four-wide. If you open the middle up, he’s going to take a chance, like he did with Christopher Bell, to fill that hole. Especially when he’s racing for a win.”

We can only wait and see what the response to the fireworks would be.