The warnings for Carson Hocevar don’t seem to stop. Following Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s threat that Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will seek to take revenge for getting wrecked at Nashville on Sunday, former driver Kenny Wallace has doubled down on the same. He explained the dynamics in the garage and NASCAR’s intention for allowing such storylines to transpire through a video posted on his X account.
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Hocevar is one of the most aggressive drivers in the Cup Series field currently. He lived up to his name when he wrecked Stenhouse Jr. seemingly out of nowhere in Stage 2 of the latest race at Nashville. The Hyak Motorsports driver vowed to return the favor in the coming weeks after the youngster did not apologize for his actions. And Wallace believes that this isn’t an empty threat.
He said on Coffee with Kenny, “My message to Carson is this. Carson, you’re in the country club now. You’re running up there. Pick and choose your battles, because here’s why. They’re gonna wreck you right back. Okay?”
He continued to detail that he knew Stenhouse’s friends and that they would instigate him further to wreck Hocevar at any cost. Notably, Dale Jr. also echoed this sentiment.
“Coffee with Kenny”@CarsonHocevar
“If you’re gonna play you gotta pay”
My opinion pic.twitter.com/rzuCd0jsyp— Kenny Wallace (@Kenny_Wallace) June 2, 2025
The notion that Dale Earnhardt Sr. used to wreck everybody and that is enough reason for young drivers to do the same didn’t sit well with Wallace either. His reason was simple: Earnhardt was good enough to race away from his rivals after wrecking them. The question is whether Hocevar can do the same. It is highly debatable, considering the much-changed racing landscape.
Wallace talks about NASCAR’s true intentions
Rivalries and feuds between drivers are a great way for the promotion to sell its product to customers. They garner attention from every corner and keep the sport in the spotlight. Wallace believes that this is why NASCAR will not want Hocevar to be completely toned down.
He reflected the thoughts of the suits, saying, “When Ross Chastain was wrecking everybody, the promoters liked that. So, the promoters will tell right now, ‘We don’t want Carson Hocevar neutered. We want him to wreck the s—t out of everybody because it’s good for TV ratings. Who is Carson going to piss off this week?'”
It’s a troubling, yet understandable situation. Chastain used to race a lot like Hocevar until he received that one phone call from Rick Hendrick in 2023. It remains to be seen what will come of the Spire Motorsports youngster. He could either become a superstar, as many — including Kyle Petty — predict, or he could end up a dud.
