Is there a double standard going on with Carson Hocevar? Or is it just a different time and era? Joey Logano, who also ruffled feathers as a young driver in the NASCARCup Series, has a few thoughts on how he was treated compared to how Hocevar is treated.
Carson Hocevar has caused his fair share of controversy since joining Spire Motorsports. It is known that he isn’t the favorite driver in the garage among the other drivers. Still, Hocevar has only gained in popularity and the 23-year-old appears to be the future face of the sport from a marketing standpoint.
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When Joey Logano was 19-years-old at Joe Gibbs Racing and battling it out with Kevin Harvick and other NASCAR legends, he didn’t get the same reception. He was immediately turned into a villain, a young punk who only got in the way and was racing above his head most times.
On the Harvick Happy Hour podcast, Logano jokingly brought up the double standard between his young career and Hocevar’s.
“I think Carson’s great for the sport,” Logano said. “I think he brings a ton of new fans, different fans. Just the way he is is different than the rest of us. The way he speaks, he’s just, he’s younger. Yeah, I don’t know what he’s talking about half the time, I don’t know what these words mean. But people love it and there’s no denying that and that’s great, that’s great for our sport.
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“I don’t understand though, when I came into the sport and I had run-ins with veterans and all that stuff, right? And people hated me for that, right? Forever. And to this day I still get booed like you wouldn’t believe for the things I did when I was 19-years-old. This kid comes in and wrecks way more people than I ever did, and people love him!”
You know, Joey Logano might have a point. Then again, maybe he just doesn’t have the aura, as the kids and Carson Hocevar might say. Perhaps Logano picking fights with beloved figures like Kevin Harvick led to his downfall.
Let’s see how far the Hocevar stuff can go. If he finds himself wrecking Chase Elliott or someone popular for a win or in the midst of an intense battle on the track, then we might see the sentiment for him turn against him.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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