The NASCAR world is buzzing after Dale Earnhardt Jr. Watkins Glen reaction shed light on a heated exchange between Brad Keselowski and Carson Hocevar during last weekend’s qualifying session. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and TJ Majors discussed the incident on the Dale Jr. Download, focusing on why tempers flared when Keselowski confronted Hocevar after their run at Watkins Glen International.
Keselowski’s spotter, TJ Majors, shared his candid view, suggesting Hocevar tried to impede their qualifying effort. Majors didn’t hold back his assessment, saying,
“I’ve never seen anybody get as much stuff as he’s tore up and people he’s pi–ed off over the last two years, or even more than that.”
—TJ Majors, Keselowski’s Spotter. He expressed his frustration about incidents involving Hocevar, questioning the fairness of blaming someone and then attempting to jeopardize their qualifying lap in return.
Majors gave more insight into his perception of Hocevar’s behavior, saying,
“Him waiting for Brad and Brad getting so mad, I didn’t know Brad was mad. He never said anything on the radio or nothing. …That just shows you what type of person Carson is to me. You want to like him so bad, but then he goes and does stuff like this. He has made so many mistakes, and we made a conscious effort to get out of his way and make sure we didn’t mess him up.”
—TJ Majors, Keselowski’s Spotter. Dale Earnhardt Jr. agreed with Majors, emphasizing that they were careful not to interfere with Hocevar’s lap.
Hocevar’s Side of the Story and Competing Tensions
As tensions continued to mount, a video of the confrontation between Keselowski and Hocevar surfaced just before Sunday’s race, sparking further debate. On Wednesday, Carson Hocevar addressed the situation with the media, explaining his own confusion about Keselowski’s anger. Hocevar stated,
“I didn’t really understand why he was so upset because we were upset at him,”
—Carson Hocevar, NASCAR Driver, clarifying that emotions tend to run high during qualifying and both drivers felt wronged by each other’s actions on the track.
Expanding on the events, Hocevar explained his actions during the run.
“I think just emotions get high in qualifying. I felt like we started our lap, and he was kind of in the way, or just let us go in a really bad spot that I felt like it impeded our lap. As we’re doing our cool-down lap, I didn’t want to swerve out of his way or anything going down the backstretch, and I just stayed in line and had him go around me. I think everybody didn’t know the full story, potentially, right? You just get done with your lap, and you feel like somebody gets in your way. I was frustrated. Our group was frustrated, and then, obviously, he was frustrated with us.”
—Carson Hocevar, NASCAR Driver. Hocevar pointed to misunderstandings on both sides that fueled the argument.
Playoff Implications and What Lies Ahead
Both Brad Keselowski and Carson Hocevar remain on the outside looking in when it comes to the NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings, increasing the pressure to perform in the upcoming races. Neither driver can afford more missteps if they hope to secure a playoff berth, adding an extra layer of urgency and emotion to their ongoing rivalry.
The next critical event for these drivers is scheduled for Saturday, August 16, at Richmond Raceway, starting at 7:30 p.m. ET. With only two races remaining to clinch a playoff spot, the outcome will be crucial for Keselowski, Hocevar, and their respective teams, as tempers and stakes continue to escalate in the final stretch of the season.
