Carson Hocevar’s Darlington controversy has put Spire Motorsports under increasing pressure, with fans, former drivers, and NASCAR analysts questioning why the organization allows him to behave the way he does. Figures like Denny Hamlin and Jeff Burton have both criticized the driver and Spire. But one of the sport’s most vocal voices, Dale Earnhardt Jr., has offered a surprisingly different perspective.
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It’s not the first time Hocevar has clashed with a driver on the track. And judging by his patterns, it certainly won’t be the last. But rather than pretending he would react the same way every time, Dale Jr. admitted that his opinion would change depending on who Hocevar hit.
“Can I be honest? Y’all want me to lie? If he ran into Blaney, I’d be like, ‘F*** dude, Blaney, go kick his a**.’ I have guys out there that I’m really, really good friends with, and I would rather him not ruin their day,” Dale Jr. said on the Dale Jr Download podcast.
The backdrop to this is Hocevar spinning RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski out of the race on Sunday, September 8. To make matters worse, he appeared somewhat indifferent to what others viewed as a mistake. Dale Jr. is not necessarily defending everything the Spire driver does on the racetrack. Instead, he is acknowledging that his reaction would naturally be influenced by his personal relationships within NASCAR.
Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney is one of the drivers Dale Jr. has a close relationship with. So, if Hocevar’s aggressive driving directly affected him, Dale Jr. would likely have a stronger reaction, similar to what would happen if Hocevar went after a Hendrick Motorsports driver.
Dale Jr. also has a particularly close connection to Hendrick. JR Motorsports has a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports, while Spire Motorsports works closely with the organization through its own technical relationship.
“If it was a Hendrick car that he ran into and did that to, we would be having a whole different conversation today,” Dale Jr further said on the podcast.
The Ross Chastain situation provides a clear example. During the 2023 Goodyear 400, Chastain’s late-race contact with Kyle Larson became a major talking point. Larson was driving for Hendrick, while Chastain was representing Trackhouse Racing, another Chevrolet organization. Rick Hendrick made his position clear afterward.
“I don’t care if he’s driving a Chevrolet if he wrecks our cars. I don’t care, and I told Chevrolet that,” Hendrick said in a post-race press conference in Darlington. “If you wreck us, you’re going to get it back. If you don’t do it, they’ll run all over you. I’m loyal to Chevrolet, but when somebody runs over us, then I expect my guys to hold their ground. I’m not going to ask them to yield just because of Chevrolet.”
That history makes Dale Jr.’s comments even more interesting. The Chevrolet badge alone does not mean every team will simply overlook aggressive racing. But there is clearly a different level of personal investment when the driver involved is part of your own circle. That is where Dale Jr.’s opinion differs sharply from some of the other voices surrounding Hocevar.
After Hocevar spun Keselowski at Darlington, Hamlin turned his attention toward Spire’s leadership, questioning why the organization appeared comfortable with the situation. Hamlin bluntly described Spire as having “no adults in the room” and called the organization “unserious.”
Burton was equally critical of Hocevar’s reaction after the incident. Rather than simply focusing on the contact itself, Burton took issue with Hocevar’s apparent dismissal of what happened to Keselowski. The 2012 Cup Series champ himself also made his feelings clear, warning Hocevar that his “day’s coming” after the incident.
Hocevar, however, did not appear interested in backing away from his approach in response to Hamlin’s comments. In a Facebook post Tuesday, he pushed back against the idea that NASCAR should be taken so seriously while defending the fans who support him. He also drew a clear line between criticism of a driver’s racing persona and personal attacks, urging his supporters never to cross that boundary. His response offered a glimpse into how he views the controversy surrounding him.
Dale Jr., however, is approaching the situation from a different angle. His point is not necessarily that Hocevar should be allowed to wreck whoever he wants. Rather, he would personally feel much more strongly if the driver on the receiving end were someone he cares about.
That honesty may not be the most popular opinion, but it is certainly a revealing one.