Carson Hocevar’s reputation is becoming as much of a headline as his finishes. He’s wrecked drivers on accident, on purpose, and in every shade of gray in between, and usually, without much apology. Kyle Busch was livid after their run-in at Atlanta. Ryan Blaney, earlier this year, labeled him “reckless.” Even Ross Chastain, his own mentor, didn’t bite his tongue after Hocevar nearly snatched a win at Darlington. The latest drama comes from Nashville Superspeedway, where Hocevar’s aggressive move on Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on Lap 106 sent the No. 47 into the wall, and lit up headlines all over again. In the aftermath, everyone had a take, including Dale Earnhardt Jr. 

Speaking in a recent episode on his ‘Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Dirty Mo Media’ channel, Earnhardt Jr. weighed in on the wreck. “Carson could have avoided it and not wrecked Ricky..  I don’t really know whose fault it was… Was Ricky coming down? Does Carson feel like he had the spot or he had the lane and Ricky comes down?” he said. Still, the bigger point Dale Jr. landed on was how Hocevar reminded him of someone very familiar: his dad. “I even said it in a clip on Dirty Mo Media—I think the guy reminds me of like a 1979 Dale Earnhardt, 1980 Earnhardt. Fast, not scared to use a front bumper, doesn’t care if somebody gets mad about it and on the verge of becoming a star.”

It’s not a hollow comparison, either. Like Dale Sr., Hocevar drives by feel rather than formula, at least, that’s the image he puts out. He’s said he doesn’t study data much, relying instead on creativity and racing instinct. He’s even leaned into the Earnhardt mythology himself, recently purchasing a 1997 Dale Sr.-themed Chevy truck off Facebook Marketplace, which he now drives daily. His TV is set to autoplay old NASCAR clips on YouTube, feeding a nostalgic loop of the sport’s rough-and-tumble past. But behind the myth-building, there’s a more complex reality. Not everyone’s sold on the reincarnation storyline. Definitely not Kelley Earnhardt.

When asked during an Instagram Q&A which current driver reminded her of her dad, Kelley Earnhardt didn’t mince words: “No comparisons in my opinion.” That five-word reply wasn’t just a throwaway, it was a public counter to her brother’s take and a strong stance from someone who knows Dale Sr.’s legacy better than anyone. And she’s not the only one pushing back. Even those close to Hocevar are tearing down the mythology.

His team owner and supporter, Jeff Dickerson, dismissed the idea that Carson drives on instinct alone. “He’s lying to you!” Dickerson said. “He is always studying! I live it every day. He’s constantly sending me things he’s looking at. He’s just at an age where it’s cool to say, ‘See? I don’t study! I just feel the air! I’m the next reincarnation of Dale Sr., don’t you guys get it?’ No, jacka—. It’s not instinct. He’s not God’s gift to race car driving. He works at this as much as anybody.”

Still, Dale Earnhardt Jr. sees value in Hocevar leaning into his style, rough edges and all. “I say that to maybe encourage Carson to continue what he’s doing, because Dale Earnhardt ended up becoming a seven-time champion. That aggressive style was something that endeared him to a lot of people. And you can see that a lot of people enjoy that as well, out of Carson.”

Jr. doesn’t deny that Hocevar wrecked Ricky Stenhouse Jr. or that it could’ve been avoided. In fact, he added, “I do know Carson had time to save Ricky’s ass there and not wreck him.” Now, just a day away from facing Stenhouse again at his home track in Michigan on June 8, all eyes are back on Hocevar. Fans are bracing for fireworks. After all, it’s the same Stenhouse who once punched Kyle Busch in the face after a post-race wreck, and this time, the beef is fresh. But there’s a twist—Hocevar has already reached out.

Carson Hocevar reached out to Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

In the aftermath of the controversy, Stenhouse Jr. stated that he had not received any texts from the Spire Motorsports driver. But just as the Cup Series was about to race at Michigan, there was a new update, and Hocevar decided to clear the air surrounding his clash from last Sunday. Speaking on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, “Yeah, he wanted to have that conversation, so I just texted him to reach out or whatever. We’ll probably have that talk and see where it goes.”

Hocevar has been on a roll. If we are to take out the engine troubles from the Coca-Cola 600, in the last two races, he has been a genuine contender. Now that he has the opportunity to win the race in front of his home crowd and family, the driver decided to call a truce with Stenhouse.

“I think the biggest thing is we don’t want to slow ourselves down by having these clouds over our heads just as a team or put any more target on my back. I’ve created the world I live in of that reputation; I understand that. You don’t want to do anything more to put a bigger target on your back,” he explained further.

Unfortunately, fans won’t be able to see flying punches or bent fenders in the clash of two animated personalities from the NASCAR garage.