Kenny Wallace believes Carson Hocevar has learned how to create tension on the NASCAR track but still has another lesson to learn after his Bristol fight with Ryan Blaney. The two drivers clashed after the Bass Pro Shops Night Race following contact during the race.
Wallace compared the situation with how Dale Earnhardt Sr. handled similar incidents during his NASCAR career. Earnhardt was known for racing hard and making aggressive moves, but Wallace said he also knew how to settle things after the race.
Wallace used the Bristol fight to explain why Hocevar needs to manage his relationships with other drivers, while the rest of the NASCAR field also needs to understand how Hocevar races.
Carson Hocevar And Ryan Blaney Clash After Bristol Race
The Carson Hocevar and Ryan Blaney clash started on the track when Blaney’s spotter warned him about Hocevar coming underneath.
Wallace pointed to the radio message that has since circulated online.
“We all know by now; we all heard the spotter, we all heard that Ryan Blaney’s spotter was saying, ‘Hey, underneath, low, low.’ It’s all over the internet, so we know that Ryan Blaney was blocking Carson Hocevar.”
The contact led to more tension after the race. Blaney approached Hocevar on pit road, and the two exchanged punches.
Wallace also noticed what happened around Hocevar after the Bristol fight. He said Ryan Preece and Josh Berry appeared unhappy with Hocevar while he interacted with fans behind his car.
“I know how Carson can quit making all the drivers mad at him,” Wallace said.
He then explained why he believes Hocevar has another part of his racing approach to learn.
Kenny Wallace Uses Dale Earnhardt Lesson
Wallace brought Dale Earnhardt Sr. into the discussion because of the way Earnhardt handled drivers after hard racing incidents.
“You know, back in my day, Dale Earnhardt Sr. trained us,” Wallace said. “Sr. was smart. He would wreck us, and then after he got done wrecking, he would make friends with us. And this is where I think Carson Hocevar is missing it just a little bit.”
Wallace said Earnhardt understood that hard racing did not have to end a relationship between drivers.
“When Dale Sr. would wreck you, he’d see you the next week, and he’d come up there, and he’d put his arm around you. ‘Man, I didn’t mean to get into you. I just meant to rattle your cage.’”
Wallace said that was an important part of Earnhardt’s approach. The Bristol fight, in his view, showed a difference between making an aggressive move and dealing with the consequences afterward.
Wallace Sends Message To NASCAR Drivers
Wallace also directed part of his message at the rest of the NASCAR field. He recalled how drivers reacted when they saw Earnhardt behind them.
“But you know why we didn’t block Earnhardt? Because we knew he’d spin us out,” Wallace said.
He explained that drivers such as Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace, and Jeff Gordon understood what could happen if they kept blocking Earnhardt.
“When you look in the mirror, and you saw Earnhardt coming, well, guess what we did when Earnhardt got on our ass? We got out of his way, and I don’t think these boys have figured that out yet.”
Wallace then applied that lesson to Hocevar.
“I don’t think they’ve figured out that when Carson’s coming, get out of the way, because he’s going to spin you out. It’s just that damn simple.”
The Bristol fight therefore left Wallace with two points. He said Carson Hocevar needs to learn how to repair relationships after incidents, while Ryan Blaney and the other NASCAR drivers must understand how Hocevar races when they are on the track together.
Kenny Wallace Sends a Chilling Dale Earnhardt Message to NASCAR Drivers After Carson Hocevar Fight