Denny Hamlin has taken another swipe at Carson Hocevar after the Spire Motorsports driver made headlines during the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The latest chapter in the Carson Hocevar feud unfolded during Stage 2 when Hocevar, running a lap down after an earlier pit stop, chased Corey Heim toward pit road and made a middle-finger gesture as the two cars raced side by side at nearly 180 mph.
NASCAR cameras captured the moment, making it one of the biggest talking points from the race. While Heim went on to win the Brickyard 400 for his second NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season, Hocevar finished ninth. Hamlin subsequently discussed the incident on his Actions Detrimental podcast, clearly expressing his position in the escalating rivalry.
Denny Hamlin Says Carson Hocevar Is Seeking Attention
Denny Hamlin did not hold back when discussing the Carson Hocevar incident on his podcast. Although he first said, “I’m not talking about,” he quickly shared his thoughts on the situation.
“I think he’s playing chess not checkers. I think he does dumb shit just to get people to talk about him when he finishes in ninth place.”
He then added another comment about the gesture directed at Corey Heim.
“And he was just waving to his daddy on the way by.”
Hamlin also pointed to Heim’s recent success against Hocevar, including their meeting earlier this year at Naval Base Coronado, where Heim spun the No. 77 on his way to victory.
“He owns him. Next subject.”
Hamlin co-owns 23XI Racing, the team that fields Heim’s No. 67 Toyota, and finished fifth in the Brickyard 400 after losing ground on a late restart.
Carson Hocevar and Corey Heim Continue Heated Rivalry
The Carson Hocevar rivalry with Corey Heim has continued to grow since their days in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Their feud dates back to the 2023 championship race at Phoenix, where contact between the two drivers contributed to Heim missing the title.
The rivalry returned in June at Naval Base Coronado when Heim spun Hocevar before claiming his first Cup Series victory. After that race, Hocevar asked Hamlin for Heim’s phone number. Hamlin later explained that he was unaware of the on-track incident and believed Hocevar wanted to congratulate Heim.
At the Brickyard 400, the tension was once again on display as Hocevar made the middle-finger gesture while trying to pass Heim after falling a lap down. Heim still went on to claim the crown-jewel victory, while Hocevar crossed the finish line in ninth place.
Carson Hocevar and Corey Heim Exchange More Words
After the race, both drivers responded to the latest incident involving Carson Hocevar.
During TNT Sports’ post-race coverage, Heim reacted after learning about the gesture.
“I handed him a big fat ‘L’ after that.”
Later, during his post-race press conference, Heim also said, “You guys sure love to talk about a guy who finished ninth.”
Hocevar responded sarcastically when asked about the exchange.
“I’m just a fan. Wanted to wave at him. He’s number one. He won.”
He also praised Heim’s performance while looking ahead to future battles.
“His stuff is super fast, obviously. With the car he’s in, he does a really, really good job with it. I’m looking forward to when we get our stuff a little better, being in front of him and maybe holding him up.”
With Heim set to become a full-time Cup Series driver next season and Hocevar already established in the series, the Carson Hocevar rivalry appears far from over after another heated chapter at the Brickyard 400.
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