There are instances when, in NASCAR, you remember why you love the sport, not just the apex speed, but the men and women behind the wheel. At age 22, the driver of the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet is known as much for stirring the pot of controversy as he is for being the relatable, down-to-earth dude next door. His journey through the ranks has been anything but smooth, marked by aggressive driving, penalties, and a willingness to own his mistakes. Be it ruffling the feathers of Kyle Busch in Atlanta earlier this year or wrecking Ricky Stenhouse Jr. twice in Michigan and Mexico City.

But the story that trumps even the most heated garage debates is what occurred in a Walmart near the track on one recent race day. Hocevar’s career has been a mix of raw talent and raw emotion. He has been fined and docked points for incidents that happened on the track, and some veterans like Ryan Blaney have called for greater penalties if his style of aggressive racing remains the same. But for all the talk about his driving, there’s another side to Hocevar that’s harder to quantify but easy to appreciate: his connection with fans. His presence in the community, whether at a local Walmart or a Best Buy, feels genuine and unscripted.

A fan on Reddit shared the moment, meeting Hocevar: “Ran in Walmart before the race yesterday. Went to turn down an aisle and almost ran slap into a guy with his head down. I said “Carson”, and he popped his head up. Shook his hand and told him good luck. Then this kid ran up and asked for an autograph and a picture and Carson gave it to him. Really cool guy. He earned a fan in me.”

While the young Spire Motorsports driver needs to brush up on his skills on the racetrack, as far as fan engagement is concerned, he is on top of his game. He already has the personality and the charisma that often attracts attention, and while his social media antics sometimes end in controversy, Hocevar is learning the tricks of the trade. Fans have often rallied behind him through thick and thin, but this heartfelt moment in Walmart was a proud moment for his loyal supporters.

Fans React to Carson’s approachability.

The reaction from the NASCAR community, both online and in person, has been overwhelmingly positive. On Reddit, fans praised Hocevar for his approachability, with one user recounting how they nearly bumped into him in a Walmart aisle. The thread quickly filled with comments celebrating his humility and everyday demeanor. “Chili’s and Walmart? A true man of the people”, one user wrote, while another user wrote, “Carson seems like the kind of guy you’d run into at the most random places and you wouldn’t even question it”.

Other fans shared similar stories, noting how Hocevar’s off-track personality, goofy, approachable, and unpretentious, has won them over. “Carson, outside of a race car, is usually just a goofy kid. His rain delay interviews for the truck series made me a fan,” one commenter recalled. In an era where drivers are buttoned up and often share their opinions with a filter, Hocevar’s genuine character stands out. Even his team co-owner, Jeff Dickerson, had his back when people were calling him out for aggressive driving and wrecking Stenhouse Jr. in Mexico.

Another added, “His Twitter replies are funny too. He likes to comment on Jeff’s good race poll like he’s writing a letter.” Hocevar is active on social media, especially X. Be it replying to Jeff Gluck’s weekly poll or sharing hilarious memes, he does it well. After the Atlanta race, he shared a post on X, where he compared his moods and emotions on a raceday with a Lightning McQueen reference. Interestingly, he has also teased a video he shot from his visit to Chicagoland Speedway, so there’s more content for the fans to enjoy.

Even those who admit to being frustrated by some of his on-track decisions acknowledge his authenticity: “I like Carson a lot, despite some of his boneheaded driving. Things like this make me think he’s a legitimately decent kid who already understands the importance of the fan experience, even when they catch him randomly in public. He probably made that kid a fan for life”.

Well, for those who have followed the likes of Dale Earnhardt and Kevin Harvick, Hocevar is the driver they feel they can get behind. As far as aggression goes, Harvick trumps the two drivers, but as far as racing style goes, Hocevar sure fits the role. He doesn’t mind bending fenders or ruffling feathers. “I was a Dale Senior fan then to Harvick and now Carson.. Although he is very aggressive on the track he will eventually learn the rules of the road and I think he has a ton of talent..He seems to have great car control that comes naturally.. Over all he just seems like a good kid.He is young but will grow up to be a fine race car driver.”

If Hocevar continues to gain the fan votes and love, who knows, Chase Elliott might have a new rival for NASCAR’s most popular driver award.