NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin is no stranger to fanning the flames of a rivalry, both on the track and behind the microphone. With the Carson Hocevar vs. Corey Heim feud taking center stage in the Cup Series, the 23XI Racing co-owner added fuel to the fire following the Brickyard 400.
In Monday’s episode of Actions Detrimental, Hamlin stated that Hocevar does “dumb s***” to help bring attention to himself even when he doesn’t win. He doubled down, referring to Heim as Hocevar’s “daddy” and referencing the total ownership Heim has proven over his rival when they go head-to-head on the track.
“I’m not talking about it…I think he’s playing chess, not checkers. I think he does dumb s*** just to get people to talk about him when he finishes in 9th place…and he was just waving to his daddy on the way by…He owns him, he owns him.”
Denny Hamlin on Carson Hocevar flipping off Corey Heim during the Brickyard 400
Related: Denny Hamlin Reveals Corey Heim’s Car Number for 2027
As Heim said during his appearance on Door, Bumper, Clear, he wasn’t aware he was being flipped off by Hocevar. Naturally, that’s because the driver of the No. 67 car was focused on making it onto pit road without speeding. Hocevar’s decision to flip the bird to his longtime rival was entirely for the cameras and media attention.
After the Brickyard 400, Hocevar jokingly told reporters that he was only signaling to Heim that he was No. 1 to congratulate him early in the race. Heim was asked about the middle finger during his post-race press conference and said, “He lost and I won, so I don’t really care.”
Related: Corey Heim Adds More Fuel to Carson Hocevar Rivalry
Drivers flipping each other off is nothing new. It’s been done repeatedly this season and their predecessors did it regularly, though maybe not as much near the entry for pit road. NASCAR certainly loved it, with Hocevar’s unexpected stunt going viral on social media and providing the sport with another opportunity to market a rivalry that will be a part of its long-term push to gain more popularity.
What matters is that Heim and Hocevar are two of the most talented young drivers in NASCAR, and they both have a keen understanding of how to fuel this beef for the public. It’s great for the sport and both drivers will benefit from it financially long-term, so it’s safe to say this won’t be the last time they get into it.
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