Carson Hocevar ruffled plenty of feathers at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Even though the Spire Motorsports driver secured a career-high second-place finish at the 2025 AmBetter Health 400, he didn’t earn any new friends. It’s simply because of his aggressive driving style. While much of it can be attributed to youth and inexperience, the 22-year-old irked former championship winners Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch. Both will be eager to get payback if the opportunity arises.
However, former driver Mark Martin has supported Hocevar. And this is despite his on-track antics in Atlanta. The 66-year-old has taken to social media to express his backing of the youngster.
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Mark Martin urges Hocevar to stand his ground
Carson Hocevar seems to be embracing his ‘villain arc’. Qualifying for the race in 26th place, the Spire Motorsports driver showed lightning-fast pace at Atlanta Motor Speedway in his No. 77 Chevy. He finished ninth and seventh in the opening two stages, respectively. For a driver accustomed to running in the back of the grid, having the raw speed to go wheel-to-wheel against NASCAR’s heavyweights was an empowering prospect. Thus, the youngster decided to use the opportunity, even if it came at the expense of others.
Despite knowing there was room for improvement in his racecraft, Hocevar stood by his actions at the 2025 AmBetter Health 400. Discussing in the post-race interview, the youngster said, “We’re here to win races. Not be a boy band who love each other and play in a playground together.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by NASCAR legend Mark Martin. The icon tagged the racer in a video that communicated that if people didn’t like you for being yourself, then “f— them.”
It seems like Carson Hocevar is developing quite a reputation. His aggressive driving style seems to polarize the NASCAR fraternity, with many being irked by his on-track antics. However, getting validation and support from a Hall of Famer such as Mark Martin will give the 22-year-old a significant boost in confidence going into the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas. The next few races will determine if his runner-up finish at the 1.5-mile oval was a one-off or if the youngster has truly found his footing at the sport’s highest level.
In many ways, Hocevar is fighting for his future in the Cup Series. After finishing 21st in the drivers standing in his rookie season, the time has come for the Spire Motorsports racer to prove himself against the best NASCAR offers. While his driving style is aggressive and isn’t winning over friends on the racetrack, a runner-up finish in the second race of the season is exactly what he needs to cement his place in the competition.
The Michigan native can either wilt under the pressure and backlash or embrace his ‘bad boy’ era by standing his ground to continue getting results. He ranks 15 right now with 48 points and managed one top 10 and one top 5 finish. Time will tell the route he decides to take.
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Carson Hocevar’s backlash was an inevitable rite of passage
So often, a promising racecar driver emerges from the shadows to disrupt the status quo. It seems like Carson Hocevar is experiencing such a moment, after finishing second at Atlanta Motor Speedway. For many NASCAR heavyweights such as Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, and Ross Chastain, seeing a sophomore tear up the racetrack with his aggressive moves was a bitter pill to swallow. Especially if it came at their own expense. Yet, it’s a trend that the stock car racing world has seen far too often before.
Ross Chastain was in the news for all the wrong reasons just a few years ago. He had ‘beef’ with established superstars such as Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, and Kevin Harvick (to name a few). Kyle Busch was no different. The Nevada native clashed with his seniors two decades ago while still making a name for himself in the Cup Series. Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney also incurred the wrath of others. What’s a sport without arguments and conflicts?
In 2009, Brad Keselowski told USA Today Sports, “In this sport when others are angry at you, generally you’ve done something right. Because when you’re in a competitive environment, the only time a competitor is going to like you is when they’re beating you.”
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The same appears to be true today. Carson Hocevar is the first to admit room for improvement in his racecraft. Yet, the 22-year-old will be wise to not let his development come between securing results on the track – even if it doesn’t win him many friends.