Whether he’s battling on track or stirring up drama off it, Carson Hocevar has quickly become one of the most talked-about names in the NASCAR Cup Series this season. In his sophomore year, he has brought a mix of raw talent, brash honesty, and flair of showmanship that has either electrified or enraged fans. From bold moves behind the wheel to unfiltered post-race interviews, Carson has made it clear that he is not here to blend in.

But with this spotlight comes scrutiny, and his latest headline wasn’t about a daring pass or fiery interview; it came from his Twitch stream. In the middle of a casual gaming session, the young driver offhandedly claimed that Rockingham Speedway would return to the NASCAR schedule, setting off a wave of speculation across social media. But Carson, ever the honest man, took to Instagram to admit his fault.

Carson Hocevar is unknowingly leaking information

Rockingham Speedway is very dear to NASCAR. Originally known as North Carolina Motor Speedway, it holds a storied place in NASCAR’s history. The 0.94-mile, high-banked oval debuted in 1965 and became a consistent staple on the Cup Series schedule for nearly 4 decades. Legends like David Pearson, Dale Earnhardt, and Richard Petty thrived on its rugged surface, and races such as the 2004 Subway 400 are still remembered for their adrenaline-charged finishes and fan fervor.

The Cup Series bid farewell to Rockingham after the 2004 season as NASCAR expanded to new venues and markets. The track briefly rejoined the racing scene with the Craftsman Truck Series in 2012 and 2013, but fading attendance and financial strains shelved its national presence again. Fast forward to 2025, and Rockingham is reborn as NASCAR returns with both the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series gracing the speedway for the first time in years.

In 2024, NASCAR had not yet confirmed a return to Rockingham Speedway, but Carson Hocevar continued to advocate for the series to revisit the historic North Carolina venue. During a live stream that quickly gained traction online, Carson said, “Have I heard anything about next year schedule? Rockingham’s coming back. Really cool.” That was enough to send the NASCAR world into a frenzy. But NASCAR was not happy.

In a recent Instagram post, Carson Hocevar admitted that he leaked the information but had no idea about it. Casually, during a live stream, he quipped, “I leaked Rockingham. Like, full-blown leaked it. But I didn’t know it. I had no idea. I just picked something that I thought would be cool, for like, a joke. And I showed up at the shop, NASCAR called my team and was like, ‘What the h— are you doing?!’ I’m just like, ‘What? I don’t know what you mean.’ I had no idea. I just pulled this out of thin air.”

Behind the return lies a collaboration between Track Enterprises, the local promoter of Rockingham, and Spire Motorsports. Track Enterprises struck an agreement with the track’s ownership in mid-2024 to bring NASCAR back to the Rock over Easter weekend. Spire then champions the return, unveiling a Race the Rock paint scheme on Michael McDowell’s No. 71 at Martinsville to help spread the word.

The 22-year-old added, “There wasn’t a rumor, there wasn’t anything. And they’re like, ‘How do you know Rockingham’s coming back?’ I was like, ‘Oh no!’ You wanna know the people bringing Rockingham back? Track Enterprises. Wanna know who owns Track Enterprises? Spire Motorsports! So I lost some plausible deniability.”

Moreover, Carson’s revelation may have ruffled feathers in NASCAR’s PR office, but fans loved the unfiltered moment. Social media was flooded with excitement and memes, dubbing him “Carson The Spoiler Hocevar.” Adding to the drama, Zane Smith’s crew chief offered a sharp retort during the recent race. And now, among the antics, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a word of advice to give Carson.

Dale Jr. sounds off on Carson Hocevar’s on-track antics

Carson found himself in the spotlight once again after a heated weekend at Iowa Speedway, this time, for wrecking Zane Smith on lap 229. The incident didn’t sit well with Smith’s No. 38 crew chief, Ryan Bergenty, who stormed over post-race to confront Hocevar on pit road. “Hey, when are you going to learn to f—— drive, dude?” Bergenty snapped, echoing the growing frustration with Carson’s aggressive style.

Dale Jr. didn’t hold back either on DJD. He said, reflecting on the repeated drama, “I’m just exhausted. The one thing is, I think if he would try to calm down a little bit, though, he would do a little bit better. He needs to clean it up a little bit in terms of look at his results since Nashville. Just a lot of incidents, lot of contact, lot of problems, lot of bad finishes. I’m just saying, let’s kind of get back to basics, let’s get back to racing, let’s quit ruffling a feather every single weekend, let’s go run a complete race. He’s got quick cars, he’s got good talent — let’s get back to building this team, helping this team get to where they wanna go.”

Despite the backlash, Carson remained unfazed. After the Iowa dustup, he took to Instagram with a clear message that he is unbothered. His post featured the Drake song “IDGAF” and an image of a ticket dispenser label, “please take a number,” signaling his indifference to critiques and arrivals alike. However, Dale Jr. recognizes that it’s important to have various types of drivers.

The 50-year-old added, “That part I do like. Our sport needs personality, and he’s got a lot of personality. Some of the stuff he does, has done or does in the future — I’m not gonna love all of it, but I like it because we need people to [stir the pot].” While not endorsing every stunt, he admitted NASCAR benefits from drivers with personality, and Carson, love him or hate him, brings that in spades.