NASCAR champ Brad Keselowski speaks out on Carson Hocevar comparisons - and the biggest difference between them

NASCAR star Brad Keselowski has revealed his thoughts about people comparing Carson Hocevar to a young version of him.

The Spire Motorsports driver has quickly become a polarizing figure in the sport thanks to his aggressive driving style and outspokenness on social media and his Twitch streams, with a number of drivers commenting publicly about him.

Zane Smith has made no secret of the fact that he has a problem with Hocevar as a driver and a person, while points leader Denny Hamlin ends up discussing him almost weekly on his Actions Detrimental podcast – for better or worse, depending on the week.

Keselowski hasn't been paying into the take economy as much as some of his colleagues, but was asked recently by The Athletic whether he sees some of his younger self in Hocevar, and if he believes that comparison is fair.

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Keselowski: Hocevar's boundary of controversy is wider and deeper

The RFK Racing driver and co-owner drew some parallels between his early-career situation with an upstart Penske team trying to earn respect and Hocevar's Spire team in 2026 as they try to take the next step into relevance, but said that he prefers not to compare drivers too much.

He went on to add: "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. That’s an important differentiator.

"You’ve heard me say several times in different media sessions that we don’t get in fights for 15th. 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.

"What I see with Carson is his boundary of controversy is much wider and deeper through the field. Carson isn’t afraid to wreck somebody for 20th, then get out and tell him, 'Sorry, that’s racing'. You’re like, 'Yeah. Yes, it is. Totally'. But knowing when and how to use that currency is a big part of motorsports."