- Denny Hamlin praises Carson Hocevar for his Talladega win.
- The JGR ace said he envied the Spire Motorsports driver’s celebration.
- O’Donnell clarified whether any action would be taken over risky celebration.
After a P4 finish at Kansas, Denny Hamlin came to Talladega looking to keep the wheels turning and build on that run. He rolled off from P3, grabbed the lead early, but saw his race unravel after a pit-road speeding penalty that knocked the wind out of his sails.
Hamlin led 28 laps in the opening stage. But then trouble struck on Lap 41 when a wave of drivers hit pit road, including Hamlin. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was penalized for speeding on entry, forcing him to serve a pass-through penalty that dropped him a lap down. He later got that lap back through a wave-around under caution and worked his way through the second half.
In the end, he crossed the line in the top 15. But that does not mean he wasn’t happy for the winner, Carson Hocevar. On the latest episode of his podcast, Actions Detrimental, Hamlin tipped his hat to Hocevar for taking the win.
Denny Hamlin backs Hocevar, says win could open the floodgates
Carson Hocevar pulled off a last-lap move to secure his first NASCAR Cup win at Talladega. His on-track approach has drawn comparisons to Dale Earnhardt, with a style that does not shy away from contact and puts rivals to the test. And his latest win even impressed the drivers, including Hamlin.
The JGR ace praised Hocevar’s drive and pointed to what it could mean going forward.
“Carson Josevar, I was really happy for him. I still am. This could be a moment in where he’s now tasted victory. It could unleash, like, even more speed out of him. It was a great win for him and great win for the sport because you’ve got some new blood in there. You’ve been pumping these young guys that you want to promote.”
“It’s the new face of the sport. And he’s going to be part of that short list that carry the sport for quite some time.”
Hocevar’s celebration matched his driving style. After taking the checkered flag and passing the grandstand, he looked for a way to connect with the crowd. Using his height to his advantage, he guided the car to the apron and positioned himself on the edge of the driver’s side door.
From there, he removed the steering wheel, dropped the clutch, reattached the wheel, and reached the throttle, cruising down the straight with his helmet off and the fans in full view. Hamlin also weighed in on the celebration.
“That was good. Very creative, though. He’s got long enough legs to still touch the pedals. And I heard him say that they get to see the crowd, but the crowd never gets to see them celebrate, right, when they’re doing it. Right. So smart.” However, while appreciating him, Hamlin also mentioned, “I mean, envious. It was really good.”
Penalty for Hocevar’s celebration?
The move raised eyebrows, given past incidents tied to post-race celebrations, putting the spotlight on safety and the rulebook. NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell addressed the matter soon after the race. Hocevar met him in the media center and offered an apology, to which O’Donnell responded, “I’m good with it,” clarifying that no penalty would follow.
According to Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic, NASCAR has no plans to clamp down on such celebrations. The report backed O’Donnell’s stance and pointed to a wider push to allow drivers to show personality. O’Donnell, who recently stepped into the role after Jim France, has spoken about giving drivers more room to express themselves.
Hocevar later explained the thought behind his actions.
“After the race, Hocevar explained his actions. “I thought, ‘Man, I have really long legs, and I wonder if I can hit the throttle and sit on the door and ride. I just wanted them to get as loud as possible. I felt like they would if they could see me seeing them.”
