Kyle Larson Thinks Carson Hocevar Could Be NASCAR’s Next Superstar, But There’s One Problem
· Yahoo Sports
Carson Hocevar has become one of the most polarizing drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series, earning praise for his speed and criticism for his aggressive style. Kyle Larson understands both sides.
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The two-time Cup Series champion believes Hocevar has all the raw talent needed to become one of NASCAR’s biggest stars. In fact, Larson thinks the Spire Motorsports driver is capable of winning races on a regular basis.
But he also believes one issue continues to stand between Hocevar and reaching that level.
Kyle Larson Believes Carson Hocevar Has Elite NASCAR Talent
Larson was recently asked about Hocevar during an appearance on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast, and his initial assessment left little doubt about how highly he rates the 23-year-old behind the wheel.
“Hocevar, honestly, I respect his talent. I think he’s extremely, extremely good and fast. I like his aggressiveness, even, but I would say it goes overboard a lot of the time,” Larson said.
That praise carries weight coming from one of the sport’s most accomplished drivers. Larson has built a reputation as one of NASCAR’s best pure racers, and he believes Hocevar possesses the kind of natural ability that can’t be taught.
Later in the interview, Larson doubled down on that belief.
“He’s phenomenal. He outruns his teammates by a lot every week. He’s really good. He’s going to be around for a long time, and he’s going to win a lot of races. I think once he definitely harnesses himself some and kinda dials back that aggression a little bit and manages a race better, I think he can win multiple races a year, and he’s close to that. He’s definitely gotten better over the last couple of years.”
Those comments paint a picture that is much different from the one many fans associate with Hocevar. Larson isn’t questioning the young driver’s ability. If anything, he sees someone capable of becoming one of NASCAR’s next breakout stars.
Larson Says Hocevar Needs to Mature Away From the Track
Where Larson believes Hocevar still has work to do isn’t inside the race car.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver pointed to Hocevar’s Twitch streams and online presence as an area where he thinks the young driver could show more maturity.
“For me, he’s young, but he’s more immature than what his age is. I have his little Twitch stream thing pop up on my Instagram feed every now and then, and I’m like, ‘Dude, this guy is like an 8-year-old.’ That’s where I lose a little bit of respect because I’m like, ‘This guy could be the future of our sport, and he’s acting like he’s eight years old.'”
The comments come at a time when Hocevar continues to establish himself as one of NASCAR’s fastest rising talents. His aggressive driving style has generated headlines throughout the season, drawing criticism from several competitors while also earning respect for his willingness to race hard.
Larson’s perspective is notably more balanced than many of those critiques. Rather than dismissing Hocevar’s approach, he sees a driver whose ceiling remains exceptionally high.
Larson Thinks Hocevar Is Close to Putting It All Together
Larson’s message wasn’t that Hocevar needs to change who he is. Instead, he believes the final step toward becoming a consistent winner is learning when to channel that aggression.
It’s a significant endorsement from a driver who knows what championship-caliber talent looks like.
Larson believes Hocevar already has the speed. He believes the wins will come. The only remaining question, in his view, is whether one of NASCAR’s brightest young drivers can match his immense talent with the maturity needed to become the superstar Larson already sees in him.