Denny Hamlin calls out Carson Hocevar for flipping off Layne Riggs during Trucks win at Kansas

Carson Hocevar had something to lift Layne Riggs‘ spirits up after he outdueled him on the final lap of this past Saturday’s Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway. As Hocevar came out of Turn 4 and approached the start/finish line, he threw a middle finger out of his window directed at Riggs.

Denny Hamlin thought it was impressive seeing Hocevar take the checkered flag with one hand on the wheel. At the same time, he didn’t exactly care for the gesture, he said on Monday’s “Actions Detrimental” podcast.

“The final lap was impressive because he ran it with one hand,” Hamlin said. “He had one hand on the wheel and one hand out the window flipping off Layne Riggs. … Someone told me early on the finger really triggers.”

Carson Hocevar finishes 1st at Kansas
and he lets Layne Riggs know he's No. 1 after the last lap pic.twitter.com/3ACutob06s

— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) May 11, 2025

Hocevar and Riggs had a hard-fought battle on that final lap at Kansas. At one point, Riggs got into the left rear of Hocevar, nearly sending him spinning. Hocevar saved it and beat Riggs back to the start/finish line to secure his fifth-career Trucks victory.

While Riggs mentioned the middle finger post-race, he didn’t seem too bothered by it. But Hocevar still had to talk about it when he went to the media center after his celebration in Victory Lane.

“It was somewhat friendly, right? It was just kind … yeah, I don’t, I don’t remember what I really did to be honest,” Hocevar said, via Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “No, if anything, I just wanted to remind him, really, of just like, hey, I still won, I guess. I don’t know. But at the end of the day, he did a really good job.

“He’s super, super talented. That group built a really fast truck. I remember watching Zane [Smith] go on to win against us in that truck. It’s all harm, no foul, and I’m sure my bird is real small to just hit and contact. So, it’s all friendly, and when I see him, I’m sure we’ll laugh about it.”

NASCAR insider praises Carson Hocevar’s personality after Truck Series theatrics at Kansas

The 22-year-old Hocevar continues to ruffle the feathers of many in the garage. Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic believes he is good for the sport, he said on “The Teardown” podcast.

“It’s what you need. You can’t sit here and say NASCAR doesn’t have personalities and it doesn’t have young drivers who are willing to do these things, and then you have a young driver who’s doing all of the things that you’re wanting, and then you turn around and say, ‘Oh well, not that. No, no, no, no.’ It’s like, he is what you want,” Bianchi said.

“Now, you have to continue to back it up on the racetrack, and you have to be willing to accept some of the backlash you’re going to inevitably get. But yeah, he is good for the sport. If he can start to string together consistent results and maybe get into Victory Lane on the Cup side, that is going to be a good thing for the sport.”