Carson Hocevar doesn’t apologize for who he is. At just 22, the Spire Motorsports driver has already made a name for himself in the NASCAR Cup Series, not with wins, but with bold moves and grit. It started earlier this season in Atlanta, where Hocevar pushed Kyle Busch to the limit. It ended with Busch furious over the radio, saying he is “ going to wreck his a—.” That same day, Ryan Blaney spun after a miscalculated bump from the No. 77 car, and Ross Chastain walked away from a post-race talk with clear disappointment.

But if you thought Hocevar would tone it down, think again. In the face of mounting criticism, Hocevar stood firm. “ We’re here to win races, not be a boy band and love each other and play on the playground together,” he said in a defiant tone that caught everyone’s a

See Full Page