Could Carson Hocevar dethrone Chase Elliott as NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver?
A few months ago, many people asked this same question, and the answer was typically along the lines of “that would be cool, but no.”
Now, after the dust has settled on his two-piece-ing of Ryan Blaney last weekend, the question has inevitably resurfaced, but has the answer changed?
I don’t believe so. Carson Hocevar is certainly in line to be the sport’s next most popular driver, either in a few years or when Elliott decides to hang it up, but when it comes to the sheer support a driver gets from the fan base, Elliott still takes the cake.
But here’s a wild thought: Imagine if Hocevar and Elliott ever got into it. I’m not sure the internet would survive.
It feels like the only question left about Hocevar winning Most Popular Driver is which year he will overtake Elliott. Still, there are important differences between the two. Elliott has a NASCAR Cup Series championship, while Hocevar has just a single victory to his credit.
However, Hocevar has proven himself to be the promised prince of the online NASCAR community, which holds real power with its fan base. I don’t see that changing anytime soon, so Hocevar will win his first Most Popular Driver award in 2028. That gives Elliott the spotlight for two more seasons. We’ll see what Hocevar’s win total looks like then.
Does Tony Stewart still have the NASCAR itch?
I know I’m not the only one who sees the irony in bringing Tony Stewart back to the NASCAR ranks at two superspeedways, but it makes me laugh every time I think about it. This is the same driver who said that NASCAR should take to figure-eight tracks instead of superspeedways, and the two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races that drag him, kicking and screaming, out of retirement are … superspeedways.
It does make for an interesting question, though, because Stewart now has two races under his belt in 2026, despite vowing several times never to return to NASCAR and saying on several occasions that his stint at Daytona International Speedway in February was more than likely a one-off. That tune seems to have changed, though, but has it changed for good? Could we eventually see Stewart climb back in a NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series or Cup car?
Probably not, and that’s OK. The Truck Series should be exactly this: a group of young full-timers duking it out to climb the ranks, with some true veterans of the sport mixed in to make the racing more marketable and give it star power. If you’ve ever been around a minor-league program, the stands are never more full than when some all-star is in town on an injury assignment.
Stewart is getting the NASCAR itch again, but he won’t return to the sport full time. As much good that he’s doing for motorsports outside of oval racing, he can continue down whatever racing rabbit hole he likes.
Should Ty Gibbs be fined for his water bottle toss?
If you’ve seen Frontstretch‘s Michael Massie’s view of the Hocevar/Blaney scuffle, you’ll know that his camera was hit by one of the rarest birds of all: the flying water bottle.
Nobody was hurt except for a few camera angles, and rest assured, everyone involved emerged unharmed.
Through some internet sleuthing, it was determined that none other than Ty Gibbs gave the aforementioned water bottle the fling, and NASCAR reportedly would like to speak with him regarding the bottle toss, but no fine will be issued. Huzzah!
Now that it’s been confirmed that no fines will be issued, I have to extend my sincerest gratitude to Gibbs as someone who shares a group chat with Massie himself. Great aim.
As for those who wish for Gibbs to be fined, come on. If your instant reaction to seeing a NASCAR fight isn’t “Ha! This is great!” then I really don’t know what to tell you. He tossed a water bottle at something that was funny because he thought tossing the water bottle was funny, and in retrospect, it absolutely was. I also know exactly what I’m getting Massie for Christmas now. A whole case of Dasani on his front door should make the season feel both merry and bright.
Will Legacy Motor Club’s recent hires make a difference for Riley Herbst in 2027?
Legacy Motor Club announced a few more hires this week, clearing up its 2027 plans for Riley Herbst. Jeremy Bullins will be Herbst’s crew chief after spending almost two years at RFK Racing. Bullins, a longtime crew chief for Brad Keselowski, is one of the more experienced crew chiefs on pit road, a trait that Legacy no doubt values in its pairing with Herbst.
But the question remains: how exactly will Bullins help Herbst in 2027? Legacy needs a lot to go right next year, and Herbst and his team are two of them. With Josh Berry also coming over, that’s two new faces in a new place for a team that is still adjusting to the swap to Toyota.
With Bullins taking the reins, the hope must be that he can oversee much of Herbst’s development while Erik Jones and Berry adjust to their new situations. The 2027 season will be Herbst’s third full time in the Cup Series, meaning that his best years are more than likely still in front of him.
For Legacy, the goal is to ensure Herbst drives for them during that stretch. If all goes according to plan, the Bullins/Herbst pairing should extend well into Herbst’s next few seasons. Of course, this is NASCAR, and things rarely go according to every piece of the plan.
But in theory, all of these moves should benefit Herbst and his continued development, along with providing Legacy some stability for the near future.
Tanner Marlar is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated’s OnSI Network, a contributor for multiple automotive news outlets, an award-winning sports columnist and talk show host, and a PhD. student at a premier college of media and mass communication. Tanner began working with Frontstretch in 2022, covering the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series.
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