Carson Hocevar went home after a lackluster Brickyard 400 last month and decided to voice his frustrations with the sport. NASCAR doesn’t hit the same way it did back in the late 90s and early 2000s, a sentiment many have echoed over the past few months. But the controversial Hurricane Hocevar took it a step further with a Facebook rant, declaring that NASCAR was on “a ventilator” and calling for the sport’s broadcasts to be made great again for fans.
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Most of the NASCAR garage agreed with Hocevar. But former Cup Series driver Kurt Busch has an honest message for Hocevar when it comes to making comments like these aimed at NASCAR.
“I mean, come on, kid. You know, you can’t shoot your own foot here. You’re making money in the sport. You’re becoming a superstar. They love you. Embrace it,” Busch said on the Rubbin is Racing podcast.
Looking at the larger picture, Busch doesn’t think NASCAR is in a very bad state, despite the complaints. He shed light on all the changes NASCAR is making to make races more exciting.
Busch pointed to the Gen 7 cars, horsepower increases on shorter tracks, and the introduction of newer venues and return of historic tracks. He loves the Chicago Street Race and also the Anduril 250, which marked the first time NASCAR drivers raced on an active military base. NASCAR has also brought tracks like North Wilkesboro back to the calendar in recent years, something fans had been calling for for years.
The sport is listening to fans. And he’s not wrong. Just recently, after widespread criticism of the Brickyard 400’s elongated under-caution laps, CEO Steve O’Donnell introduced new stage-racing rules in just one week.
Busch doesn’t see eye to eye with Hocevar on his comments about NASCAR. And he doesn’t think that he should be taking digs at the sport that has given him the platform to be one of America’s most popular young sports stars. In other words, without NASCAR, there wouldn’t be a Met Gala appearance for Hocevar.
However, Busch feels, like many in the sport do, that Hocevar is an exciting character. Busch thinks he is talented and that he will grow a lot with Spire Motorsports. However, that is provided he’s willing to learn and evolve.
In the same episode of the Rubbin’ is Racing podcast, host Large asked Busch how he would deal with Hocevar if he were a driver in his prime today. Busch responded by reminding everyone how he once pushed Austin Cindric onto the grass for constantly moving left and right to block him on the track.
The 23-year Cup Series veteran would try to educate Hocevar the same way those before him did with him. He noted how drivers like Richard Petty, Terry Labonte, and Mark Martin often confronted him and made him listen, helping him become a better driver rather than someone who simply made a name for himself by wreaking havoc or starting controversies.
If Hocevar didn’t listen, though, Busch would have zero regrets about doing to him what he did to Cindric. He added, “If it was coachable, like I think Hocevar is, you help. You know, if it’s somebody that’s just way out there and they don’t want to listen, and you’re offering help and they don’t want to take the free help, then you’re going to learn the hard way.”
Hocevar should keep his personality and aggression, but also be willing to listen and learn. NASCAR may not be perfect, but Hocevar has the talent and platform to become one of its biggest stars. If he wants that future, Busch believes he just needs to make sure he doesn’t get in his own way.