This is an opinion piece from a NASCAR columnist writing on OutKick.com and Fox News Digital. The article discusses the recent NASCAR race at Darlington, where driver Carson Hocevar was involved in a confrontation with Brad Keselowski. According to the columnist, Hocevar's actions were questionable, but not as egregious as some others have made them out to be. The key event described is Hocevar's incident with Keselowski, which the columnist claims was more of a tap than a reckless spin.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Monday Morning Pit-Stop is a weekly NASCAR column that runs on OutKick.com and Fox News Digital.
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that → run → OutKick.com
If you're looking for a normal NASCAR recap, go check out insufferable ESPN ... assuming they still know NASCAR exists.
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NASCAR → look → ESPN
Last week, Carson Hocevar told me he didn't expect any drama in The Chase.
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he → tell → Chase
I asked him, point blank, if he felt like he had any enemies on the track, or if he felt like he was driving around with a target on his back.
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he → ask → back
This, of course, came after months of NASCAR drama — all culminating in a recently launched relationship with a TikTok influencer who was starting to ruffle some feathers around the garage.
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who → come → garage
"I think it's good for TV and merch sales at times, but I don't think so," Hocevar told me when I asked him about other drivers coming after him.
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drivers → think → him
"You know, I've had people try to wreck me and they just end up wrecking themselves lately.
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they → know → themselves
So I don't foresee anybody really having to, you know, wanting to do anything like that that where I would have to really be worried about it.
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I → foresee → it
"So, yeah, I mean, I'm not really worried about.
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I → mean → ?
Carson, buddy, it's time to start worrying.
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it → start → ?
If your head wasn't on a swivel before Darlington, it HAS to be on one now.
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it → have → one
We're gonna keep this one brief today because A) it's a holiday, B) it's a holiday, and C) I've got meat to smoke ... because it's a holiday.
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it → go → meat
We're gonna dive into Carson's antics last night at Darlington here in just a minute.
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We → go → minute
We'll also get into Ryan Blaney putting another few dollars in NASCAR's new 'Swear Jar,' Dale Jarrett got a nice little Sunday night wakeup call, and Hooters Gianna Blaney gave us one final summer photo dump from the pool.
And what a summer it was!
Four tires, enough fuel to get us to Gateway, and maybe some secret service protection for Carson ...
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it → get → Carson
Monday Morning Pit-Stop — the 'Watch Out, Carson' edition — is LIVE!
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Stop → watch → ?
Let's just jump right in
Look, I'm not gonna break down the race.
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I → let → race
- Christopher Bell finally won after seven runner-ups this season.
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Bell → win → ups
- Denny Hamlin was surprisingly bad, but still grabbed a bunch of stage points so he maintains his point lead after the first Chase race.
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he → grab → race
- The Toyotas continue to be the dominant car this season, followed by the Fords, followed by the Chevys.
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Toyotas → continue → Chevys
- Kyle Larson led a bunch of laps early, but you knew it was only a matter of time until a Toyota took over.
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Toyota → lead → time
OK, we all caught up?
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we → catch → ?
Now, let's check in with Carson and Brad Keselowski:
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's → let → Carson
When entertainment crosses a line
Thoughts?
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entertainment → cross → Thoughts
First of all, Brad didn't just spin, as Hocevar says with a s–tgrin on his face 14 times.
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Hocevar → spin → face
Hocevar washed up the track and got into Brad, which caused the spin.
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which → wash → spin
Now, here's where I veer a bit with the rest of the pitchfork crowd today ...
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I → veer → crowd
He barely — and I mean barely — tapped him.
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I → mean → him
You have to squint to see it.
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You → have → it
If anything, it looks like he really just got Brad loose enough to spin him out.
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Brad → look → him
I don't think it was intentional.
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it → think → ?
I think it was a mistake on Carson's part, and he's too embarrassed/proud to admit it.
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he → think → it
"His day’s coming and it’s coming hard.
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it → come → ?
You don't hear Brad Keselowski talk like that often — not this version of Brad, at least.
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Keselowski → hear → Brad
He was hot, and I get it.
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I → get → it
At some point over the next few weeks, he's going to end Carson Hocevar's day.
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he → go → day
This sport has a way of policing itself, and you will see it unfold.
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it → have → itself
Now, the question becomes ... is this good for NASCAR?
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this → become → NASCAR
The series desperately needs a villain, and they have one in Carson Hocevar.
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they → need → Hocevar
He's also an extremely popular villain, given he LEADS the series in merchandise sales right now.
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he → give → sales
Hocevar talked to me a lot last week about the state of the sport, and even compared it, to a degree, to WWE.
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Hocevar → talk → WWE
…and 27 more, not listed.
