The action got started a little early during NASCAR’s trip to New Hampshire this weekend.
After dealing with some wet weather early in the day, drivers were finally able to get out for their pace lap and prepare for the race to go green. As it would turn out, another delay was coming, as conditions were still tough — so tough that Carson Hocevar spun out before the race had technically started.
Or at least, that’s what it looked like on television.
Kyle Larson, appearing as a guest on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, said he believed that Hocevar’s early spin was just a play for attention.
“I mean spinning out before the race, that was 1000% just to get on TV,” Larson said.
The conversation began with Hocevar’s overall personality. The No. 77 driver has capitalized on his brash attitude and aggressive racing style to earn plenty of fans, but his style has also rubbed some of his fellow drivers the wrong way. Larson thinks that Hocevar’s desire to come off as authentic is starting to be at odds with his actual authenticity.
“I don’t think you have to totally neuter him, but I almost feel like he’s at the point now where he’s like, doing it even like, it’s not really him,” Larson explained. “It’s a piece of him, but he’s going above what he really is.”
Larson then relayed a sequence he witnessed in Iowa that left him confused as to what Hocevar was trying to accomplish.
“I think he just blacks out. The camera didn’t catch it at Iowa, I doubt, I don’t know, but he was trying to spear [Christopher] Bell,” Larson said. “Did you see any of that? When he got lapped for the second time he was trying to spear Christopher Bell for two laps. I don’t understand. You admit that you wrecked yourself, but then you still go out and run right through him the next chance you get.”
For his part, Hocevar does seem to have some self-awareness. He posted a heartfelt note on social media after his finish in New Hampshire looking back at how far he and his team had come in three seasons in the Cup Series ahead of the start of the Chase.
But to Larson’s point, it can sometimes be tough to tell whether Hocevar’s persona is more driven by authenticity or the desire to been seen as authentic, as the two can oftentimes line up pretty neatly.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Team