Carson Hocevar doesn’t have a lot of friends in NASCAR. This has been the trend since his Truck Series racing days, but now his carefree racing style and personality is being called out by veterans. Especially after he spun twice during the race, and the way he responded after his contact with Connor Zilisch.
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Denny Hamlin’s stayed away from commenting on Hocevar’s antics, but after the New Hampshire race, the JGR driver took a jab at his personal life and also questioned his on-track conduct.
“It just was not a very good CH [Carson Hocevar] day, that’s for sure. Just not the best work. The best thing that’s come out of that camp in a month has been his girl’s tutorial on makeup and racing,” Hamlin said on Actions Detrimental podcast.
Hamlin’s jab was aimed at Hocevar’s rumored girlfriend, Tabitha Swatosh and her videos on social media. Swatosh recently shared a TikTok video in which she used her makeup routine to explain the rules of NASCAR. Highlighting Hocevar’s struggles of late, Hamlin bluntly declared that Swatosh’s video has been the most positive thing surrounding Hocevar in the last month or so.
Interestingly, Hocevar’s No. 77 Modo Casino featured a pink paint scheme, and it stood out instantly. Another highlight of the pink car was the pink hearts wrapped around the rear fenders and bumper alongside the handwritten “ily” lettering on the back. While this unusual paint scheme and social media collab put Hocevar in limelight, his performance has declined this month.
After the end of the Brickyard 400, he was 5th in the points. And to everyone’s surprise, he was the lead Chevy driver, ahead of HMS stars like Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. But in August, he lost all his momentum. At Iowa, mechanical issues resulted in a 31st place finish, and then at Richmond, he experienced engine failure, leading to a DNF. From 5th, Hocevar has now fallen to 11th in the points standings.
Hamlin’s criticism didn’t end there, he wasn’t happy with how Hocevar reacted after the crash involving him at Connor Zilisch at lap 84. “If you know you’re at fault, why are you screwing with the guy that turn your nose across? Is he saying one thing and doing another? Well, he’s clearing saying one thing and doing another.”
The incident happened on lap 84 when Hocevar tried to make a pass on Zilisch on the high lane. He got clear of the No. 88 car, but made an abrupt turn right in front of Zilisch. A slight contact sent Hocevar into the wall. After the race, Hocevar accepted that he “Spun himself out.” But on the racetrack, he kept running into Zilisch, which prompted the sharp criticism by Hamlin.
Zilisch stated that his back and forth started during the practice runs, and Hocevar deliberately tried to throw aggressive blocks. “He was just trying to do one of those door slam, like ‘f*** you’ door slams. And I mean, I didn’t even have time to check. It just shocked me.”
This is a concern for Spire Motorsports and Hocevar as well. From being the leading Chevy driver a few weeks back, he’s now losing his focus. The Chase for championship begins after Daytona, and the No. 77 team needs to focus its time and energy on preparing for title contention.
Why Carson Hocevar and Tabitha Swatosh became a talking point
While the two have been seen together publicly, neither has officially confirmed that they are dating, leaving much of the speculation to social media.
Swatosh is a 25-year-old influencer and former beauty pageant winner. She has built a pretty big following across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, while Snapchat has reportedly been her preferred platform. Her content covers lifestyle, beauty and personal moments, making her a familiar face beyond the NASCAR community.
Her connection to Hocevar has become a talking point largely because the pair have appeared together at several public events. They were photographed together at the TIME100 Sports Gala, where an intimate moment between them subsequently attracted attention online. Swatosh was also spotted at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway earlier this year, further fueling speculation that the two share a close relationship.
The interest surrounding Hocevar’s personal life is hardly surprising. The Spire Motorsports driver has developed a growing profile since establishing himself in the Cup Series, while Swatosh already has a significant audience of her own.
Hocevar has also previously been open about his celebrity crush on singer Sabrina Carpenter, adding another layer to the attention surrounding his dating life. However, there has been no public confirmation connecting Carpenter to Hocevar romantically.
Hamlin’s comment was clearly intended as a joke at Hocevar’s expense. But it also shows how the driver’s personal life has started receiving attention alongside his racing career. And with Hocevar’s recent results putting his Chase position under increasing pressure, the scrutiny is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.