NASCAR driver Zane Smith received a mixed reaction from the crowd at EchoPark Speedway this weekend, including boos, after his back-and-forth with Carson Hocevar last week.
Smith wrecked Hocevar at Chicagoland Speedway earlier this month, and after the race, the Front Row Motorsports driver made clear he was not a Hocevar fan, referring to him as a 'bumf**k' and 'coward', among other things.
Smith even went for Hocevar's fans, stating: "His fans are the worst part. Have you ever seen the South Park, huge guy that's typing on the keyboard? Those are like, all of those fans."
NASCAR TODAY: Bubba Wallace suffers brutal demotion and Denny Hamlin confused by penalty decision
Zane Smith booed at Atlanta after Carson Hocevar comments
After a sit-down meeting between the pair and NASCAR at Atlanta regarding their wreck the weekend prior, remarkably, Smith doubled down on his hate for the Spire Motorsports star.
“I just don’t like him,” Smith told the media after the meeting, via NASCAR.com. “I think we both understand where we’re at with everything, but it doesn’t change how much he dislikes me and how much I dislike him."
Hocevar, though, is a popular figure, and given Smith's comments about his fans, he didn't get the best reception at the track on Sunday.
In a video captured by Steven Taranto, boos can be heard as Smith walked onto the stage during driver intros.
It's certainly going to be interesting to see how this rivalry develops, with no driver yet showing any signs of letting up on their dislike of each other.
They did, at least, manage to keep apart on the track on Sunday, with no further incidents this time around.
READ MORE: NASCAR Standings: Blaney closes gap on Reddick and Hamlin with Atlanta victory
