"He keeps doing it" - Dale Earnhardt Jr. on how Carson Hocevar's repetitive run-ins on track could "ruin his incredible opportunity"

Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes Carson Hocevar's racing approach could be detrimental to the young driver in the long run.

The NASCAR world was abuzz last weekend with the season finale. However, one of the major talking points wasn't the championship battle, but a series of incidents involving driver Carson Hocevar.

The 20-year-old, driving the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports, headed into the Championship weekend as one of the favorites. However, Hocevar collided with Corey Heim of Tricon Garage, ultimately leading to a DNF (Did Not Finish).

This collision didn't sit well with many in the NASCAR community. The likes of Martin Truex Jr. were among those who voiced their concerns over Hocevar's racing acumen.

Now, joining that list is the former Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. The 49-year-old believes that Hocevar's repeated incidents on the track could prove detrimental to his future.

In a recent episode of 'The Dale Jr. Download' podcast, Earnhardt Jr. expressed his concerns, saying:

"It’s indefensible. He may feel sort of like, 'Damn it, I screwed up again. Damn it, I really don’t, I got to quit doing this.' I’m sure that he feels like, 'Man, I got to straighten this out. I got to stop doing this."

With a full-time Cup Series contract secured for 2024, Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes that the young driver may fumble his opportunity if he doesn't fix his approach.

"But he doesn’t feel that way in the moment to stop doing it. He keeps doing it. And if he continues this type of stuff, he may ruin this incredible opportunity he has because he is incredibly talented," he said.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. thinks people will not forget Carson Hocevar's crash

Some in the racing community have pointed fingers at Corey Heim for retaliating against Hocevar. However, Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes that the memory of Hocevar's actions will linger longer in the minds of the fans.

"In a couple of weeks, I will soon forget any involvement that Heim had in all of this," he said.

"I will forget that Heim wrecked him with 4 to go. I will forget that…cost Enfinger the championship, I will forget all of that in about 2 weeks. What I will not have forgotten is what Carson has been doing," he added.

As the racing world looks ahead to the upcoming Cup Series season, the spotlight will undoubtedly remain on Carson Hocevar.