Kyle Busch addresses Carson Hocevar drama after eventful Atlanta race

During the early stages of today’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta, Kyle Busch had words for Carson Hocevar over the radio. Well, those feelings didn’t necessarily go away, though Busch appeared a lot more calm when he got out of his car.

Carson Hocevar made a few enemies during today’s race. He got into it with Kyle Busch, Ryan Blaney, and even upset Rick Hendrick and Kyle Larson at the end.

When asked about the young driver after the race, Busch was honest about his close calls with the 77.

“He just had a lot of, lot of, lot of close calls,” Busch told Dustin Long of NBC Sports. “I mean, he wasn’t even clear on me, I had to lift and he put me in the fence off of two in the first stage. So, he’s just trying to plug holes and doing it last second and last minute, and creating log jams on back. It’s just, do it at the end, you know, do it in the last 30 laps, not in the first 230.”

Kyle Busch went on about Hocevar. Spire gave the young driver a fast car, and that might have allowed him to be so aggressive. The tight racing between these cars also means drivers have to find ways to separate themselves.

“He had a fast car. So, he had a fast car and he was doing a lot of moves with it to get himself in position,” Busch continued. “I mean, he came from behind me when they stopped for tires and we didn’t. So, he had a fast car. Give benefit but it’s also just circumstantial of where we’re all at in today’s age with the cars. We’re all given the same stuff and he’s making a lot of bold moves to just try to make the most of it.”

Kyle Busch is right. There are multiple factors at play here. Carson Hocevar is young, for one. He also happens to be one of the most talented and most aggressive drivers. You can argue that what makes him so good is his fearless and sometimes shortsighted racing style.

I happen to remember another young and aggressive driver. There was this guy who raced for Hendrick and then he went to Joe Gibbs. Heard he’s racing at Richard Childress now.

All joking aside, it does seem that this is the cycle talented young drivers have. They come in, are aggressive and get in over their heads. Many have to do that to establish themselves. Then, over time, they become the wise old veterans. Kyle Busch is the old guy now, he has to be the one to keep guys like Hocevar in check.