iStockphoto / Peter Fanning/For IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar (77) stands by his car Saturday, July 25, 2026, during qualifying for the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a stock image of a money bag in the top right corner.
23-year-old Carson Hocevar is undeniably the most polarizing figure in the NASCAR Cup Series today, and the Spire Motorsports star is turning that attention into big money after a recent run-in with former series champion Brad Keselowski.
Hocevar, who is one of 16 drivers still alive in the series’ Chase for a champion, slid into Keselowski during the opening stage of Sunday’s Southern 500 at historic Darlington Raceway, causing Keselowski to spin out and ruining his day.
Hocevar went on to finish in 11th, while Keselowski came home in 23rd. After the race, Keselowski sent out a warning: “His day’s coming, and it’s coming hard. Watch out, Carson,” he said.
To which Hocevar responded, “I don’t know. It looked like he spun.”
When informed of Keselowski’s warning, Hocevar said simply, “I’ll tighten my belts.”
Hocevar getting into Keselowski. pic.twitter.com/0JhA2WuCG8
— Stock Car Central (@stockcarcentral) September 8, 2026
Carson Hocevar Turned Brad Keselowski Crash Into A Huge Payday
On Monday, Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal reported that Hocevar had turned the incident into a huge boon for him and his Spire Motorsports team.
Hocevar had already planned to offer 23 percent off items in his online store for the 23 spots he made up from the start of the race to the finish. But after the Keselowski incident, he added an additional six percent, seemingly representing Keselowski’s car number.
just added an extra 6% off at https://t.co/HFSMS2hXrh https://t.co/px6VgH79Yy
— Carson Hocevar (@CarsonHocevar) September 7, 2026
According to Stern, sales from the online shop hit nearly $200,000 in the 24 hours following the Southern 500.
Big Business May End Up Biting Carson Hocevar In The Long Run
On the surface, it appears as if Hocevar came away from the incident with a huge win. He had a solid finish, and his team sold a ton of merchandise.
But the larger picture is far murkier. Hocevar has drawn the ire of just about everyone else in the Cup Series garage this season, with reigning champion Kyle Larson even accusing him of wrecking on purpose to get on television.
On the latest episode of his “Actions Detrimental” podcast, current points leader and future Hall of Famer Denny Hamlin accused Spire Motorsports of being an unserious organization.
“You’re not going to get anything more from me because I’m not going to give him what he wants,” Hamlin said. “I’m not going to give him the clip that he wants. Period.
“So you want me to talk about Spire? I’ll talk about Spire.
“There’s no adults in the room, clearly, in that building. No adults. That’s my opinion.
“Because how can you honestly think that’s what best for your company if you’re running a serious organization? I think they’re unserious.”
Spire Motorsports, which launched in 2018, has two drivers – Hocevar and Daniel Suarez – in the 16-driver Chase. However, Hocevar’s repeated actions all but guarantee that everyone else on the track will prevent him from winning a championship, regardless of how good his cars are or how well he drives.
What do you think? Is Spire Motorsports serious about competing for championships? Or is this all part of a plan to sell merchandise and sponsorships? Let us know in the comments below.