Carson Hocevar is frequently compared to the late Dale Earnhardt due to the former’s aggressive racing style, which goes in sync with the latter. From fans to experts such as Richard Petty, many have drawn parallels between the two, given their “take-no-prisoners” attitude.

However, many fans just scrunch up their nose at this comparison, arguing that Earnhardt intimated and didn’t just crash his way forward. Yet, despite growing criticism, Hocevar has decided to go the Earnhardt way, fully embracing that edge.

Carson Hocevar goes into a full Dale Earnhardt mode

When the Cup Series arrives at Darlington Raceway this weekend, Carson Hocevar will honor one of NASCAR’s all-time greats. Chili’s and Spire Motorsports unveiled a unique retro paint job for Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet ahead of the event. Dale Earnhardt’s blue-and-yellow car from the 1981 season. Additionally, it relates to Chili’s current “Ride the ‘Dente…””Again’te” campaign, which is all set to combine nostalgia with a modern marketing approach.

“Chili’s always knocks it out of the park with their suit and car designs, and the Marg Machine is no different,” said Hocevar. “Everyone at Chili’s and Spire put in a lot of work to get the car as close to the original as possible, and they did a great job. We’ve had bold suits in the past, but this might be one of my favorites. It’s truly a privilege to honor Dale’s legacy on Alumni Weekend down in Darlington, and hopefully we can give him and all the folks from Chili’s a great run on Sunday.”

The vehicle will feature the distinctive chevron striping across the hood that characterized Earnhardt’s early days, a retro-style number font, and the iconic blue-and-yellow color scheme. Chili’s iconic blue logo is now displayed on the hood, and the original “Jeans Machine” text on the back has been replaced with “Marg Machine,” a playful allusion to the company’s margaritas, of which almost 30 million were sold in 2025.

Also, Hocevar’s firesuit will follow the throwback concept, adorned with a wide collar, vest-like styling, and an oversized belt buckle, completing Earnhardt’s early-1980s promotional look.

“Last year, we noticed the chatter comparing Carson’s driving style to a young Dale Earnhardt, and it’s only grown louder as big names in the sport make the comparison. Given the discussion, we wanted to honor Dale’s legacy, using his 1981 paint scheme as the inspiration for what we’re calling the Marg Machine. Spire and Carson were all in, and we hope fans enjoy seeing the iconic blue and yellow on track again,” said Chili’s Director of Media Tim Forman.

Darlington Raceway is set to host the Goodyear 400 on March 22 at 3 PM ET. The race will span 400 miles and be run over 293 laps. Now, the races at Darlington are typically known for their throwback theme, where many bring back iconic, historic paint schemes on their cars.

Like most drivers, Hocevar did his part, but it didn’t sit well with fans, who called out the Spire Motorsports driver. They felt that while Hocevar may mirror Earnhardt’s driving style, he is nowhere close when it comes to success in NASCAR.

While Dale Earnhardt is a seven-time Cup Series champion and one of the best in business, Carson Hocevar is far from it. The #77 star has yet to win a race. Yet, while fans might have their opinions, King Petty would love to differ.

Richard Petty sees Dale Earnhardt in Carson Hocevar

Richard Petty, also known as The King, recently compared Carson Hocevar with Dale Earnhardt. Petty, an expert in the sport, who has 200 Cup wins and is the winningest Cup driver, stated that Hocevar’s racing style reminds him of a young Earnhardt.

“That boy in that 77, he has him in time. A lot of things he’s getting by with or doing are not really that wrong. If I go back and watch him run and stuff, he reminds me of Dale Earnhardt,” Petty said. “Earnhardt learned to get by with that stuff. That boy in the 77, he’s just going to have to learn to get by with the things that he’s doing.”

Keeping aside whether the comparison with Dale Earnhardt is a controversial take or not, Carson Hocevar needs to step up his performance, at least this season. Currently, he is in 15th place in the Drivers’ Standings with 118 points after five races, thanks to a top-five finish at Atlanta.