Pick any era in NASCAR. If you’d ask anyone who’s the face of the sport, they’d have an answer. In the 60s and 70s, it was Richard Petty. In the 80s, it was Dale Earnhardt, and so on. But today, many feel there isn’t one.

Despite this situation, NASCAR’s Chief Operating Officer, Ben Kennedy, has two names who he feels stand out and could be the future of the sport.

Kennedy recently appeared on the Rubbin is Racing podcast where he sat in a conversation with Michael “Large” McCarthy and discussed all things NASCAR. Large made a brief point about the lack of the sport’s face today, but ultimately, they narrowed down the answer to two names who have the potential to be the same:

Ryan Blaney and Carson Hocevar.

Speaking about Blaney first, Kennedy said, “When you think about someone who's talented, he checks that box. When you think about someone who's authentic, he checks that box. Then you think about someone who can connect with our fans and consumers and genuinely relate to them, he checks that box too.”

On top of that, they addressed how Ryan Blaney wins races as well. Until the North Wilkesboro race, he was the only Penske driver with wins (Phoenix and Atlanta).

And aside from these factors, Large and Kennedy also discussed how a driver bringing sponsorship and talent is so much more important than just talent. They both specifically praised that quality in Blaney with reference to his partnership with BodyArmor.

These factors make him an ideal ambassador to be one of the sport's defining personalities. But he isn’t the only one.

Carson Hocevar was also praised for not just his skill as a driver but for everything else he brings to the table, especially the brand value.

“Carson showed a lot of that at Talladega when he went to the Met Gala afterward,” said Kennedy on the podcast. On the sponsorship side, Large also added how Hocevar’s pairing with Chili’s is a “match made in heaven.”

This is what Kennedy talked about: it's not just the talent pool that's strong, but drivers like Blaney and Hocevar have personalities and brands that make them a holistic figure of the sport.

“Those are the two names that immediately stand out when I think about star potential and future household names,” he concluded the topic.

Due to his driving style, Hocevar usually gets compared to Dale Earnhardt. But for a change, he was compared to another active veteran competing with him.

Brad Keselowski on comparisons with Carson Hocevar

A couple of days ago, Jeff Gluck published his 12 Questions segment with RKF Racing owner and driver Brad Keselowski. Gluck told Keselowski that “the younger Brad Keselowski might be the closest comparison to Carson Hocevar.”

And Keselowski does see some parallels.

“I can see some similarities. But every driver writes his own path. I hate to say I don’t think it’s fair to compare, but I don’t. There are different things, and he’s cutting his path in his own way. It’s not fair to him as much as it’s not fair to anyone else,” said Keselowski, as reported on The Athletic.

Interestingly, both drivers hail from Michigan. There are naturally many differences too, but they’ve surely shared a common reputation for their aggressive driving early in their careers.

Who do you find Hocevar more similar to? Earnhardt Sr. or Keselowski? Let us know!

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Written by

Suyashdeep Sason

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason