Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. emerged as the most talked-about names following the Nashville race, overshadowing even race winner Ryan Blaney. But as tempers cool, the drama appears to be losing steam. After a post-race conversation between the two, tensions seem to have eased, though Hocevar isn’t ruling out the possibility of payback.
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During media availability ahead of the Michigan race, Hocevar was asked about his exchange with Stenhouse Jr., who had confirmed that the No. 77 driver reached out. “Yeah, I mean it was productive,” Hocevar replied. He acknowledged that both he and Stenhouse Jr. carry reputations for aggressive driving.
That shared edge, he said, was at the heart of their discussion. Despite their hard-nosed styles, Hocevar pointed out that they’ve typically raced each other clean, and there had been no previous bad blood. “I thought it was productive and, based off his comments, I felt like it was received productive,” Hocevar said, suggesting mutual respect remains intact.
When pressed on whether he expects retaliation — be it a scuffle off-track or a bump on it — the 22-year-old dismissed the notion of a physical altercation. He said, “Number one, no! And number two, I mean, they both hurt in some aspect… one physically and one financially. So, I mean, ultimately, it’s fun for fans.”
Does Denny Hamlin think there would be a retaliation move from Ricky Stenhouse Jr.?
Although Hocevar doesn’t see a physical confrontation with Stenhouse Jr. on the horizon, the latter’s past dust-up with Kyle Busch suggests that another flare-up isn’t entirely off the table. Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin seems convinced that if Stenhouse Jr. gets the chance, Hocevar’s car will feel the brunt of it.
Speaking on Actions Detrimental, Hamlin didn’t mince words: “You can take this to the book. Ricky Stenhouse will absolutely wreck Carson Hocevar sometime in the near future. That’s just a fact. I put this week’s salary on it. I am not kidding. He ain’t going to punch him in the face. But he will absolutely wreck him.”
Hamlin characterized Stenhouse Jr. as a driver who listens to the noise and isn’t afraid to lean into it. In his view, Hocevar would be wise to brace for impact because, sooner or later, payback may come on four wheels.
