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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 04: Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Spectrum Chevrolet, waits backstage during pre-race ceremonies prior to the NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 04, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson<\/a> has raised concerns about Carson Hocevar\u2019s<\/a> costly on-track incidents, while admitting the Spire Motorsports driver\u2019s controversial style is drawing more attention to NASCAR.<\/p>\n On the Door Bumper Clear podcast<\/a>, Johnson discussed the issue from two perspectives: as a former driver and as a co-owner of LEGACY Motor Club.<\/p>\n Hocevar, who drives the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, has become one of NASCAR\u2019s most talked-about figures following several on-track incidents and post-race confrontations.<\/p>\n Johnson acknowledged the financial impact of the damage linked to Hocevar but also recognized his growing popularity among fans.<\/p>\n His comments reflect a wider NASCAR debate over aggressive driving, driver accountability, and the role of controversy in drawing attention to the sport.<\/p>\n Jimmie Johnson Criticizes Carson Hocevar Over Wrecked NASCAR Cars<\/p>\n Johnson began by explaining the challenges of dealing with Hocevar\u2019s driving style as a team owner. He said the damage linked to the Spire Motorsports driver had created problems for LEGACY Motor Club.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s tough. I think it\u2019s unfair to place people in different generations. You know that I think we counted up like eight or ten of our cars that he\u2019s torn up this year directly or indirectly. So don\u2019t like that piece of it.\u201d<\/p>\n The comments highlight the financial and competitive costs associated with incidents involving Hocevar.<\/p>\n Since stepping away from full-time Cup Series competition, Johnson has helped rebuild LEGACY Motor Club, making the condition of the team\u2019s cars a practical concern.<\/p>\n Hocevar previously competed part-time for LEGACY Motor Club in 2023. Johnson praised his performance at Darlington, but the relationship between the two sides has since drawn attention because of their differing positions in the sport.<\/p>\n Johnson Admits Carson Hocevar Brings Attention<\/p>\n Despite his frustration over the damaged cars, Johnson acknowledged Hocevar\u2019s ability to generate interest in NASCAR. He said the driver\u2019s name regularly comes up in conversations outside the sport\u2019s traditional audience.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you know, I wear a different hat now and look at the sport, and eyeballs, and I can\u2019t tell how many times I\u2019ve been in places where I don\u2019t expect to hear the NASCAR conversation and I hear Carson\u2019s name. So there is upside to it.\u201d<\/p>\n Hocevar has gained attention through his aggressive driving and outspoken personality. He has also ranked among NASCAR\u2019s leading merchandise sellers, reflecting his growing commercial appeal.<\/p>\n In late August, Johnson addressed Hocevar on social media, describing him as \u201cone of many personalities our sport needs.\u201d However, Johnson also raised concerns about wrecked cars, limited communication, and the financial realities of running a team.<\/p>\n Hocevar later revealed he texted Johnson, choosing to take the veteran\u2019s remarks positively rather than focus on the criticism.<\/p>\n Jimmie Johnson Says NASCAR Drivers Must Control On-Track Aggression<\/p>\n Johnson also argued that NASCAR drivers must manage conflicts themselves. He suggested earlier generations would have responded differently to the incidents and confrontations involving Hocevar.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s up to the guys on track to manage it. I mean, our sport is self-regulating, and if we do look at previous generations, guys wouldn\u2019t put up with that crap.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI mean they wouldn\u2019t, and a lot of guys have allowed this to happen and have allowed these situations, and allowed them to continue to develop.\u201d<\/p>\n Hocevar has been involved in several high-profile incidents this season, including renewed tensions with Zane Smith and other drivers.<\/p>\n His approach has drawn criticism from people who believe his aggressive contact crosses established boundaries. Supporters, however, point to his personality and ability to attract attention.<\/p>\n Johnson ended his assessment without calling for a specific punishment or intervention.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, you know, I\u2019m eating the popcorn and watching. I\u2019m watching because it\u2019s entertaining,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The comments capture Johnson\u2019s mixed feelings about Hocevar\u2019s impact on NASCAR. As a seven-time champion and team owner, he recognizes both the commercial value of a driver who attracts attention and the cost of repeated incidents.<\/p>\n For now, Johnson believes drivers must take greater responsibility for managing on-track tensions.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tDogli Wilberforce<\/a> is a writer covering NASCAR, Formula 1, and the IndyCar Series for Heavy Sports. He has also written for Sportsnaut, FanSided, Total Apex Sports, and Last Word on Sports. Wilberforce focuses on the NASCAR Cup Series, breaking down news, driver stories, and key moments with a clear, fast, and engaging style. His work connects headlines to context, helping readers understand what matters most in the sport. More about Dogli Wilberforce<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 04: Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Spectrum Chevrolet, waits backstage during…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":940353,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[446],"tags":[49,48,634,82],"class_list":["post-940352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nascar","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-nascar","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/940352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=940352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/940352\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/940353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=940352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=940352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=940352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}