Carson Hocevar has never been shy about embracing the chaos that follows him around NASCAR. The Spire Motorsports driver recently leaned into that reputation, appearing in a team post surrounded by some of the harshest labels thrown his way. “MORON,” “iPAD KID,” and “WANNABE” were among them. But instead of simply laughing along, Brad Keselowski’s team added its own twist, taking a pointed shot at Hocevar after his Darlington run-in with the RFK Racing co-owner.

Spire Motorsports originally shared the graphic with a simple caption: “Blocking out the noise.” RFK Racing had a different idea. The team shared the exact same image of Hocevar surrounded by labels such as “MORON,” “iPAD KID,” and “WANNABE,” but added its own caption: “Caution involving a self-proclaimed ipad kid and BK ⚠️”

RFK Racing shared the post after Hocevar spun Brad Keselowski during Stage 1 of the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington. The incident came on Lap 107, with contact in Turn 4 bringing out the second caution of the night and ending the stage early.

Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet made repeated contact with Keselowski’s No. 6 Ford before the latter was sent spinning. The two drivers were running 17th and 18th when the incident unfolded, turning what had been a relatively quiet battle into another controversy surrounding Hocevar.

For Keselowski, the incident also fit into a broader concern he has previously expressed about Hocevar’s driving style.

During a 12 Questions interview with Jeff Gluck, Keselowski was asked about comparisons between himself and Hocevar as young drivers. He acknowledged the similarities but highlighted one major difference.

“When I see Carson, the biggest difference between him and me is that he is willing to cause a ruckus or a problem further back in the field,” Keselowski said.

Keselowski explained that he believes there is a time and place for aggressive racing, adding that drivers should not be creating major incidents over positions that carry little reward.

“You’ve heard me say several times in different media sessions that we don’t get in fights for 15th,” he added. “If you’re going to cause an incident or have a moment of serious controversy, for the most part, it probably should be for wins and top-twos or -threes.”

That philosophy made the Darlington incident particularly notable. Hocevar is racing for the championship in the Chase and had considerably more at stake than Keselowski.

With the race still having plenty of distance left, fans quickly questioned why Hocevar had taken such an aggressive approach. The criticism soon became louder online, setting the stage for a wave of reactions to the latest Hocevar controversy.

Hocevar’s Darlington incident with Keselowski quickly sent NASCAR fans into a familiar debate about the young driver’s aggressive style.

One fan bluntly wrote, “Yeah he’s not going far in the chase.”

The logic behind the argument is that this kind of racing could cost Hocevar valuable championship points if he damages his car, loses positions or gets taken out of the race. With every point carrying weight in The Chase, unnecessary incidents could prove costly.

Another fan mocked Hocevar’s reputation for treating Cup competition like a video game, writing, “He really does race cup drivers like randoms in iRacing huh.”

The comparison had some bite, considering Hocevar frequently uses iRacing for professional preparation, casual streaming and community events.

The frustration went beyond this single incident. “Dude why is Hocevar still in the Cup series. Like is nobody else tired of this 💀💀,” another fan posted.

For many, the Darlington clash was simply another chapter in a growing list of run-ins involving Hocevar since his arrival in the Cup Series.

Some fans even looked ahead to what Keselowski might do next. “Brad is going to send the 77 firewall deep,” one wrote, pointing out that Keselowski has little to lose in the championship picture as he is out of the Chase. But taking Hocevar out could also potentially benefit another RFK driver, Ryan Preece, who is in the hunt for the championship.

Then came the irony. Before the race, Hocevar had turned his starting position into a merchandise promotion. Starting 34th, he promised to discount his merchandise based on where he finished. A win meant 33% off, while finishing outside the top 30 would trigger a 77% discount as a “punishment.”

After the wreck, one fan responded with the obvious joke: “Hopefully Brad wrecks him so his merch is 77% off.” Hocevar’s own pre-race challenge had suddenly become part of the fan reaction to his latest controversy.