The exit from the NASCAR Truck Series championship race for Carson Hocevar at Phoenix Raceway was a scene straight out of a tragicomedy. Standing outside the infield care center, head hung low, voice a whisper—it was the very picture of gloom. “He should win the championship,” he mumbled to reporters, his apology sounding more like he was saying it for someone else.

“He should win. I didn’t want to do that at all.” Oh, the drama! Hocevar was lamenting a move he pulled on lap 119 of 179, sneaking up on Championship 4 contender Corey Heim and sending him into a tailspin. Sure, Heim’s ride didn’t turn into scrap metal, but his title dreams? It definitely took a hit.

Given that Carson Hocevar nudged Heim not once, not twice, but thrice before Heim’s car decided to do a pirouette, and considering Hocevar’s cheeky glance at the in-car camera afterward, one could be forgiven for thinking, “Hmm, maybe that ‘oops’ was more of an ‘aha’ moment?” And then came the backlash! Cup drivers, seasoned pros, analysts, and fans unleashed a torrent of criticism. But Hocevar, seemingly as unflappable as he is, recently turned a fun quiz into his personal roast session, slyly poking fun at his naysayers and critics. Talk about having the last laugh!

The pajama-clad racing gags of Carson Hocevar sparked controversy

In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Race finale, Carson Hocevar’s spin on Corey Heim sparked a chain reaction of drama. Later on, Heim caught up and appeared to give Hocevar a taste of his own medicine, nudging him into the wall. Though Heim claimed innocence, the incident was like a domino effect, ensnaring Grant Enfinger and others in its aftermath. Enfinger’s pit stop detour nearly cost him the title chase against Ben Rhodes.

At the end of this 12-caution spectacle, three out of the four championship contenders found their dreams in tatters. Hocevar, the 20-year-old Niece Motorsports prodigy who’s graduating to the Cup next year, admitted his part in the day’s chaos.

Watch This Story: Dale Earnhardt Jr Speaks Out on Chaotic Truck Series Race

Post-race, Heim got wind of Hocevar’s apology, but it didn’t do much to simmer down his frustration. Ironically, while Heim faced a $12,500 fine and a 25-point deduction for his payback move, Hocevar walked away unscathed. Amidst the finger-pointing at Hocevar’s supposedly unintentional antics, he cheekily responded to a question about his alternative career choice (wrong answers only) with, “I put my pajamas on, and then I just try not to crash.” A subtle nudge-nudge, wink-wink to his critics, perhaps suggesting a ‘crash course’ in his racing strategy?

While Denny Hamlin cleared Hocevar’s name on his podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. wasn’t quite ready to drop the subject. In the world of racing, it seems, that not all spinouts are created equal, and Hocevar’s pajama quip might just be his sly way of spinning the narrative.

Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr clash over Hocevar 

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In NASCAR, Carson Hocevar’s track record is a bit like a mystery novel—full of twists, turns, and maneuvers that leave other drivers scratching their heads, wondering if there’s more than meets the eye. Interestingly, despite the raised eyebrows, penalties seem to have given him a wide berth.

Probably sharing the sentiment of the NASCAR authorities, Denny Hamlin kicked off his take on the Truck Finale, “What a sh*t show.” Yet, in a surprising twist, he absolved Hocevar of any major wrongdoing on his Actions Detrimental Podcast, remarking, “We watched drivers not only hit the person but then gas up and keep going. Someone even mentioned, like, for instance, do you call Carson Hovar and Corey Heim, right? No, no, that, that was a racing incident.”

Read More: Exclusive: Ben Rhodes Harshly Condemns Carson Hocevar’s “Attitude” After Dumping Corey Heim for the Truck Championship

On the flip side, Dale Earnhardt Jr isn’t ready to let Hocevar off the hook so easily. While he didn’t launch a full-blown attack, he did point out a red flag, cautioning that Hocevar’s future in racing could hit a dead end if he doesn’t clean up his act. “It’s indefensible. It’s indefensible. He may feel sort of like, Damn it, I screwed up again. Damn it, I really don’t, I got to quit doing this. I’m sure that he feels like, Man, I got to straighten this out. I got to stop doing this. But he doesn’t feel that way at the moment to stop doing it. He keeps doing it. And if he continues this type of stuff, ruin this incredible opportunity he has because he is incredibly talented.”

So, what’s your take? Was Hocevar’s move on Heim a calculated play or just another day at the races?