This isn’t the first time Carson Hocevar has been a menace to the field. Just take the Chicago Street race, for example. Hocevar spun his car early after hitting walls, which prompted a significant multicar pileup. However, things looked a bit different at Martinsville. The 22-year-old was left fuming at his future teammate Daniel Suarez after a chaotic Martinsville clash.

This isn’t unusual for a driver who has been compared to the ‘Intimidator’ himself. With Mr. H keeping tabs on the No. 77 driver, Carson’s potential Hendrick Cup ride hangs in the balance. While Carson was busy shaking up the field and triggering multiple cautions, Jeff Gordon had his own opinions.

Jeff Gordon takes a sly jab at Carson Hocevar

Speaking in a media availability, fresh off his two drivers making it to the Championship 4, Gordon didn’t shy away from scoffing at Hocevar’s antics. He said, “You mean the 3rd time the 77 was in the incident? More than 3? I don’t know, I lost count. I think, you know, listen, I’m just far enough removed, Rudy. I can’t imagine what he’s going through right in the crew chiefs. But, and I know that, you know for those of us that didn’t have, you know, been in these meetings, we’re all thinking, wow, that Monday morning meeting is going to be a tough one over there at Spire. Because there’s a lot of contact, not just with their current drivers, but with their future drivers too. So. Yeah, I’ll end it at that.” 

Well, it’s not exactly the ideal kickoff for a new partnership. Carson Hocevar’s race had more bumping, banging, and shoving. Stage 2 saw Hocevar spin out by Daniel Suarez. And fast forward to Stage 3, Daniel Suarez did it again; only this time, Carson owned up to his part, admitting he accidentally hit the kill switch on the frontstretch. He radioed, “I had so much s—- going on that I hit the switch.”

The first spin had already soured his view of Suarez, and a caution on lap 216 only added fuel to the fire as Hocevar tried to stay on the lead lap. Over the radio, Carson kept it simple, loud and clear: “F— him.” Possibly the easiest to understand radio message to Daniel Suarez. But that’s just one part of it.

Hocevar caused mayhem on the track. The chaos began early, and on lap 216, the 22-year-old spun out, triggering the first caution of the afternoon. While front-runners like William Byron, Joey Logano, and Kyle Larson were comfortably battling inside the top 10, Hocevar’s spin changed the rhythm of stage 2 and forced teams to rethink pit strategies.

What started as a small hiccup soon evolved into a recurring theme as the rookies struggled to keep his No. 77 machine under control. On lap 399, he was again the cause of a yellow flag after spinning deep into the race with just over 100 laps to go. The incident once more punched up the field and threw a wrench into the leader’s pet sequences.

Each spin added more frustration to an already physically short track. Then came the moment that sealed the headline—with just 17 laps remaining, the Michigan native ended up against the outside wall in Turn 4, bringing out yet another caution and setting up the race’s final sprint. His crash reset the field just as William Byron and Ryan Blaney were due for the wind, allowing the leaders a final opportunity for fresh tires and track position. While Byron ultimately took the checkered flag, the No. 77 driver’s string of incidents left a mark on the race.

Although Hocevar has signed a multi-year deal with Spire Motorsports, speculation about his future with Hendrick Motorsports continues to swirl, further amplified by the shared Chevy alliance. But with his aggressive driving style and tendency to cause cautions, his future with HMS may be jeopardized.

Add to that the long-standing fight with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. that blew up in Mexico this June, and despite a P2 finish, his aggressive driving that spun Ryan Blaney, and many veterans have sounded off on his attitude at EchoPark Speedway earlier this year. This can definitely be a roadblock in finalizing his ride with HMS. But as dust settles on Martinsville, another member of Rick Hendrick’s team isn’t letting such situations slide.

Kyle Larson throws shade on Hocevar’s antics

With Kyle Larson making it into the Championship 4, the only driver with a title in that mix, he couldn’t help but sound off on Carson Hocevar’s behavior. Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 5 driver had a lot to say about Hocevar’s driving style at Martinsville.

Post-race, much like Jeff Gordon‘s comments, Kyle Larson said, ” You know, a couple of times I just wanted it to stay green. Then, you know, the 77 [Carson Hocevar] was in like, every caution tonight. I just restarted. I felt good about my car on restarts, but you just never know how the aggression is going to pick up, and everybody’s ‘give a s**t’ factor goes out the window there.”

And understandably enough. The cautions disrupt the race strategies of the fellow drivers, derailing the plans they formulate before the race. However, as Larson is in the clear, he can focus on more important events. With the California native beating Christopher Bell to the Championship 4, two Chevys and two Toyotas are up for a big battle ahead. And now the 2021 Cup Series champion has his eye on the prize.