“I know that panic”: Denny Hamlin respects ‘on the rise’ controversial NASCAR youngster

Denny Hamlin praised Carson Hocevar for showing elite talent in NASCAR. As a 57-time Cup race winner, he understands the pressure Hocevar feels trying to secure a maiden victory and claims the young driver should eventually get the job done.

During their last race at Michigan International Speedway (June 8), Hocevar, whose name has been controversial due to his aggressive approach to races, led the field before a mechanical issue forced him to pit prematurely on lap 182. Hamlin eventually made his way to the front to emerge victorious for his third win of the 2025 season.

In a post-race interview, Denny Hamlin shared his belief that it is only a matter of time before the second-year Spire Motorsports driver becomes a constant win contender.

“You can't run as fast as he's running, being up front as much as he is up front without eventually winning. And I know that panic sometimes can set in. It's like, ‘Gah, we lost this opportunity’. But he's with a team that's on the rise. He is on the rise, and and so it's just a matter of time,” Hamlin said (via NASCAR).

The #11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver clarified that while he may be tough on Carson Hocevar on his Actions Detrimental podcast, he respects the youngster's talent. He argued that Hocevar knows when to pick moments throughout a race for a strong finish.

“He's going to put it all together and just be the next whoever. There's five to six elite drivers in this field. He can be one of those five or six very easily when he puts it all together,” he concluded.

While Hamlin bagged his third win of the year at Michigan, Hocevar finished 29th and a lap down. His young rival ranks 18th in the points standings after amassing two top-fives and three top-10s, including one pole position at Texas Motor Speedway.

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Denny Hamlin beat Kyle Busch's record at Joe Gibbs Racing after Michigan

With 57 wins on Denny Hamlin's #11 car, the 44-year-old surpassed Kyle Busch as the winningest driver at Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch had 56 career victories in the #18 car before leaving Hamlin and the team for Richard Childress Racing in 2023.

In an X post, NASCAR Insights shared Hamlin's record-breaking achievement and wrote:

"Denny Hamlin wins at Michigan, he becomes just the 10th driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to win with more than 700 career starts. With 57 wins, he is now the winningest driver in Joe Gibbs Racing history, breaking a tie with Kyle Busch (56 wins)."

As Denny Hamlin continues to contend for wins, Kyle Busch, on the other hand, is itching to return to victory lane. His former JGR teammate last won at World Wide Technology Raceway two years ago, which meant the end of a 19-year streak of winning at least one race in a season.

However, Busch remains the winningest driver across NASCAR's national series (Cup, Xfinity, and Craftsman Truck) with 232 victories. Richard Petty is the second on the list with 200 wins (all in Cup), ahead of Kevin Harvick with 121 wins.