Some sections of the NASCAR world are all set to anoint Carson Hocevar as the next Dale Earnhardt as he takes the Cup Series by storm in 2026.
The brilliantly talented 23-year-old from Portage, Michigan is a breath of fresh air for the sport’s fanbase. At the same time he is often a bad smell for rival drivers as he racks up beef after beef after beef.
Hocevar is fighting for race wins this year in the No. 77 car for Spire Motorsports. A gallant effort in Daytona was followed last time out by a questionable decision which wrecked Christopher Bell in Atlanta and brought a postrace storm of controversy.
READ MORE: Carson Hocevar reveals the truth about his fans, and it's great for NASCAR
The Dale Earnhardt comparisons are here
Heading into COTA this weekend (3.30pm ET Sunday, FOX), Hocevar is absolutely the biggest name on everybody’s lips. And the comparisons with the late, great Dale Sr are coming in thick and fast - notably from the Pettys, Richard and Kyle.
Seven-time Cup Series champion Richard said: “That boy in the #77. He has him a time. A lot of things he’s getting by with, or doing, is not really that wrong. If I go back and watch him run and stuff, he reminds me of Dale Earnhardt.
“Earnhardt learned to get by with that stuff - that boy in the #77, he’s just gonna have to learn to get by with the things that he’s doing.”
Hocevar is being himself, nothing more
Hocevar, who possesses Dale Sr-like traits of aggressive racing and an IDGAF personality, responded to those comparisons in an interview with Kenny Wallace. Safe to say it’s not something in the front of his mind.
He explained: “I get texts all the time, like ‘Richard Petty said this’ - it’s not even race fans, it’s like ‘oh you know, Kyle Petty said this, Dale Junior said this’. They’re making all these comparisons.
“Number one, I take it like the biggest compliment ever, I mean how can you not? But I’m not out there driving and going ‘alright, who am I gonna be today to sell some T-shirts? Whose lines can I steal today? Whose moves can I steal?
“I don’t know, I’m just doing what I want to do and I’m just racing for my guys and I’m just me - I’m doing the best possible thing I could do.”
The 'Hurricane' is not an act, Carson is keeping it real
As well as staying true to himself, Hocevar also stresses that the persona which has captured the hearts and minds of so many NASCAR fans is not an act. He is keeping it real.
“I’m not out there thinking of ‘if this is a documentary, what would I say right now or what move would work? What moves gonna be in my 30 For 30? I’m not thinking that.”
Hocevar came in for strong criticism from the likes of Denny Hamlin after that Atlanta overtime controversy, and next up the brutal Turn 1 at COTA awaits this Sunday.
Will Hocevar be box office again? We will find out soon enough…
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