While fans awaited a thriller in Atlanta, Dale Earnhardt Jr. knew what was coming. Before the dust even settled at Atlanta Motor Speedway, he called it. “Just leave a camera on, @CarsonHocevar, and we will all be entertained today,” he posted on social media. The No. 77 driver had been in the middle of the action all race long. The 22-year-old didn’t just ruffle feathers—he bulldozed through them.Hocevar spun Ryan Blaney, angered Ross Chastain, and ignited a fiery response from Kyle Busch. Yet, despite all the chaos, he finished second behind Christopher Bell. Hocevar started on the 26th but didn’t stay there long. He clawed his way into the top 10 and fought like a driver with nothing to lose. That kind of performance demands attention. And it got plenty, both good and bad.As the race ended, Hocevar faced a backlash from some of the sport’s biggest names. The garage was buzzing, and fans were split. But amid all the noise, Dale Jr. stepped in. He didn’t excuse Hocevar’s moves, but he defended his right to be himself. The NASCAR Hall of Famer revealed why the sport needs young drivers like Hocevar.Carson Hocevar didn’t just race hard in Atlanta, he raced like a man on a mission. That mission? Winning, no matter who got in his way. Naturally, not everyone appreciated his approach. Kyle Busch made it clear over the radio, fuming, “Go tell the 77 he’s done the same move 10 times. I don’t care if I wreck the whole field. I’m over him.” Apart from him, drivers like Ross Chastain and Ryan Blaney were also frustrated with the No. 77 car.However, Dale Jr. saw something different. On his podcast, The Dale Jr. Download, he acknowledged Hocevar’s mistakes but argued that NASCAR needs personalities like his. He compared Hocevar to Ross Chastain, who once had a similar reputation for reckless driving before refining his style. “The sport needs personalities. It needs things that stand out. It needs drivers that go against the norms… I think he actually is a good person. Now, when he drives a race car, he may get a little punky, a little bratty, a little, you know—but so does Logano and some other people,” says Dale Jr.Carson HocevarNotably, this is not the first time when Hocevar has been at the center of a controversy. In 2024, NASCAR penalized him for spinning Harrison Burton under the yellow flag. The aggressive maneuver had cost him a $50,000 fine and 25 points penalty. However, Hocevar doesn’t seem to be bothered about his moves. After Atlanta’s heroics, he said that he was here to win, not to make friends. “We’re here to win races, not be a boy band and love each other and play in the playground together,” he tells FOX Sports.While Dale Jr. backed Hocevar’s presence in the sport, other drivers weren’t as forgiving. Kyle Busch’s radio rant showed just how frustrated he was. However, he wasn’t alone. Ryan Blaney spun out by Hocevar and showed his frustration by dooring him on the cool-down lap. Meanwhile, Ross Chastain confronted Hocevar after the race, clearly unhappy with how things played out. Despite these comments, Carson Hocevar has been very impressive in his initial runs. In his first season, the No.77 driver started 36 races and made six top-10 finishes. His average finish of 18.3 reflects his consistency.As Hocevar continues to push the limits, Dale Jr. believes veteran drivers need to step in and guide him. “The veterans need to get him in a headlock in the garage and say, ‘Look man, you’re great. You’ve got talent. But you need to clean this s*** up,’” Dale Jr. said. He believes Hocevar can be a long-term star if he learns to balance aggression with smart racing. However, NASCAR veteran Mark Martin thinks differently. The Hall of Famer believes that Hocevar should continue what he is doing.Mark Martin sends a strong message in support of HocevarWhile many in the NASCAR world criticized Carson Hocevar, Mark Martin saw things differently. The Hall of Famer didn’t just defend him but also encouraged him. The legendary driver, known for his clean racing style, took to social media to encourage Hocevar to keep doing what he was doing. He shared a video clip from House Party 3, in which actor Bernie Mac advises about being himself.Martin captioned it, “For @CarsonHocevar,” urging the young driver to ignore the noise and stay true to his racing style. He doubled down with another post, sharing Gucci Mane’s song Drive Fast and tagging Hocevar. The meaning was clear: keep pushing, keep racing, and ignore the haters. This support comes at a time when Hocevar would be double-minded. After the Ambetter Health 400 race, Hocevar received mixed reactions from fans and drivers alike.The 22-year-old driver even apologized to Rick Hendrick and his team, as one of his moves helped Christopher Bell surge past Kyle Larson to take the win. Amid all this chaos, Hocevar has received widespread support from NASCAR fans, as they see him as the next superstar of the sport. However, Hocevar will surely need to assess the situation and control his emotions as he will hit COTA in just a few hours.The post Dale Jr. Jumps in Defense of NASCAR’s ‘Problem Child’ as Kyle Busch & Co. Come for His Blood appeared first on EssentiallySports.