This time around, Carson Hocevar seems to have gotten a taste of his own medicine. Aggressive and unapologetic is how the Michigan-native approaches racing. The young ace, compared to the likes of the Intimidator, isn’t afraid of running into veterans and Cup Series champions as he fights for his track positions. Remember the long-standing beef he had with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.?  The feud between the two drivers started at Nashville as the Spire Motorsports driver made contact with the latter, sending him out of the race.

Carson tested the waters again in Mexico, and  Stenhouse Jr. has been absolutely furious with him, stating, “I’m gonna beat your a-s when we get back to the states.” But as that simmered down, a fresh incident has grabbed the spotlight. Running in Martinsville, Carson Hocevar’s radio comments against his future teammate, Daniel Suarez, have blown up, and the NASCAR community is sharpening its knives.

Carson Hocevar responds aggressively after Suarez derails his day

Carson Hocevar and Daniel Suarez are set to share a garage at Spire Motorsports next season, but for now, they are anything but allies. During stage 2 of Sunday’s Round of 8 race at Martinsville Speedway, the Mexican racer left Carson spinning. When Stage 3 rolled around, history repeated itself, though this time, Carson admitted the second spin was on him.

Still, the first run left him fuming. After being turned around on lap 216 while trying to hang on to the lead lap, the Michigan native radioed a sharp “F— him,” directed at Suarez. It was classic short-track motion boiling over. The tension between the two adds another layer of drama, especially since Daniel Suarez will replace Justin Haley in the No. 7 Chevrolet next season, a move Spire Motorsports officially announced just days earlier.

Regarding the second spin, speaking over the radio, he told his No. 77 team, “I had so much s— going on that I hit the switch.” Accidentally hitting the kill switch is one thing, but Hocevar’s past on-track run-ins can’t be written off as mere accidents.

Apart from his feud with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Carson has managed to conjure up irritation from the rest of the field as well. At Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this year, the Spire Motorsports driver came heartbreakingly close to his first Cup Series win, finishing a career-best P2, but not without storing up tempers. A late race move saw Hocevar clip Ryan Blaney’s right rear, sending the No. 12 Ford spinning and sparking fury from the Team Penske driver, who didn’t mince words over the radio, calling Hocevar, “a moron.”

Later in the season at Iowa Speedway, the 22-year-old found himself in more trouble after his run-in with Zane Smith. Battling for position, Carson led up the track and hooked Smith’s left rear, slamming him into the wall and ending Smith’s day. The incident drew heated criticism, with Smith’s crew chief confronting the Michigan native after the race on pit road. Additionally, Smith went on to describe Carson, saying, “He’s an idiot.”

But today’s run-in with Daniel Suarez was just one side of the coin. Hocevar managed to bring out the first caution of the afternoon by spinning on lap 216. While frontrunners like William Byron, Joey Logano, and Kyle Larson were battling comfortably inside the top 10, Hocevar’s spin disrupted the flow of the second stage and forced teams to rethink their pit strategies. By lap 399, Carson was back in the spotlight, spinning once again and drawing another yellow flag deep into the race.

Each caution added tension to an already bruising short track showdown. Then came the final blow. With just 17 laps remaining, the Michigan native slammed into the outside wall in Turn 4, sparking one last question that set up a dramatic sprint to the finish. The wreck reset the field just as Byron and Ryan Blaney were dueling for the win, allowing teams a final chance to pit for fresh tires. Byron ultimately claimed victory, but Hocevar’s string of incidents left a chaotic stamp on the afternoon.

But fans focused on the future teammate part and how the Monday morning meetings would be slightly awkward, the NASCAR fans aren’t here for any of it.

NASCAR fans fume after Hocevar’s run-in with Suarez

The Martinsville mayhem didn’t just unfold on track; it spilled straight into the comment sections as fans had plenty to say about Carson Hocevar’s antics. Taking to Reddit, one fan summed up the general sentiment in blunt fashion, doing a 360 on Carson’s original comment, writing, “F**k him” -Every driver about Hocevar since he does the same shit.”

The reaction occurs from a wider frustration that has been building all season long, with the 22-year-old repeatedly finding himself in the middle of wrecks and rivalries. Another fan issued a pointed warning about his latest feud, saying, “ Carson should bear in mind that Suarez can fight LOL,” perhaps referring to the Mexican’s fiery track record.

Daniel Suarez proved that he is not one to back down when tempers flare. Back in 2019, during qualifying at Phoenix at the ISM Raceway, a pit-road scuffle broke out between Dhim and Michael McDowell after on-track tensions boiled over. The two exchanged shoves and punches before crews pulled them apart, marking one of the most talked-about moments of that season. And this comment suggests that if Carson keeps digging, he may face the wrath of an angry Daniel Suarez.

Others didn’t hold back in their criticism of the Spire Motorsports No. 77 driver’s on-track behavior and off-track demeanor. “Hocevar is a classless act. Dude is such an immature douche,” one fan wrote, capturing the exhaustion many felt watching the repeated runs. Another added, “I don’t like the kid. Probably never will,” while one summed it up even more starkly: “I legitimately think every driver hates Carson lol.” Whether it’s fair or not, Carson’s reputation has clearly taken a hit, and if fan reactions are any indication, rebuilding it might be the toughest race yet.