For years, the NASCAR Cup Series' biggest story lines have been built around rivalries between the sport's veterans. However, as the senior drivers have begun to move closer to their retirement and the next generation of drivers is emerging, fresh rivalries are beginning to take shape. And Carson Hocevar has just given his take on them.

With a few of the older drivers like Denny Hamlin and Michael McDowell nearing their retirement, the newer generation of drivers has already begun to take over the Cup Series. However, questions have emerged about whether the series will produce the same kind of rivalries. 

While talking about the future lineup in the Cup Series on the Dale Jr Download podcast posted on June 24, the No 77 driver was questioned by his spotter, Tyler Green, whether the new grid would have rivalries.

"Yeah, probably. I mean, at some point you're going to have your guys for the next however many years," Hocevar responded on the DJD podcast.

He was further questioned by Green if there would be better racing because of the rivalries on and off the track. 

"I think it could...Just from the standpoint of like they're not all friends, per se. Not that they're all friends, but their wives aren't friends. Kids don't play together.

"I obviously can't speak from experience, but it's got to be awkward when you wreck somebody or you get into it with somebody or you're having a heated discussion or you argue on pit road and then you go over to your kids and they're playing with the guy you just had an accident with..." Hocevar added.

The Spire Motorsports driver comments come in at a time when the Cup series is beginning to see multiple rivalries among the young drivers. One of the most recent examples of one such rivalry is between Corey Heim and Carson Hocevar himself. 

Carson Hocevar addresses his rivalry with Corey Heim after the San Diego incident

During the race at Anduril 250 race at the Naval Base Coronado, San Diego, Heim spun Hocevar in the final few laps of the race. The No. 67 driver spun around Carson Hocevar in the final chicane. 

While the two did not interact after the race on Sunday, they had a back-and-forth banter on their respective social media accounts. While recapping the race on the same episode, Hocevar spoke about how the rivalry might continue. 

“I felt like that was four years coming-ish, and I was like, all right, fair." the No.77 driver said as he referenced the 2023 truck series championship race. 

"I mean, obviously, he is very good, and I’m looking forward to racing his a** off for 20 years. I do enjoy racing him on the truck side. I remember Texas, I looked down pit road to look at the Tricon trucks, and I looked over, and I wanted to see who was in the one this week,” he added. 

While Carson Hocevar spoke about the future rivalries becoming more common, his own rivalry with Corey Heim might be an early example of the upcoming rivalries. 

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason