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.
The Aporia
