Dale Earnhardt Jr. accepts being "exhausted" talking about Carson Hocevar after No. 77's incident with Zane Smith at Iowa 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said that he was exhausted talking about Carson Hocevar’s on-track antics. The Spire Motorsports sophomore received quite some criticism after he wrecked Zane Smith last week at Iowa Speedway.

So what exactly happened between Hocevar and Smith? The #77 driver got loose while running to the inside of Smith on Lap 229 of the NASCAR Cup Series event, and subsequently bumped the Front Row Motorsports icon.

As a result of the contact, Smith lost several positions and was forced to settle for a disappointing P36 finish. Hocevar, however, was able to salvage a top-10, bagging 33 points on the way.

“I'm exhausted talking about Hocevar, everyone,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said recently on the Dale Jr. Download podcast (53:04). “I really wanted to move on and skip over this one, but apparently, the rest of the crew is all just really enjoying the Hocevar happenings.”

After the race was over, Smith’s crew chief, Ryan Bergenty, walked up to Hocevar on pit road, demanding an explanation for his move. Some fans thought that a crew chief should not confront a driver, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. felt otherwise.

“I don't mind. I think it's fine. Hocevar needs to hear from somebody. So, I'm fine with that,” he added.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. might be tired of talking about “Hurricane” Hocevar, but he does appreciate the latter’s unapologetic demeanor. NASCAR is a sport that needs athletes with personalities, and according to Dale Jr., Carson Hocevar has a lot of personality.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. voices strong opinion on NASCAR’s NextGen Cup car

Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn’t too fond of NASCAR’s NextGen car. It seems like the lack of passing and the absence of tire wear are the two main things that the former Xfinity Series champion dislikes.

“I want to say that I don’t love the Next Gen car, but it’s here,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on Dale Jr. Download. “I don’t love the NextGen car. It’s a sports car. It’s not a NASCAR stock car, but it’s here.“

According to reports, a NextGen Cup car, including all its parts and components, can cost up to $350,000. Needless to say, the teams have invested a lot since the new car debuted in 2022. Notably, Joey Logano won the championship that year.

“There’s millions of dollars already way down the road and the car’s here. It’s on the track. It’s not changing. It’s not going anywhere. It doesn’t do me any good to sit here and b** about the (expletive) lack of tire fall off or the inability to pass. It’s frustrating,” Dale Jr. added.

That being said, the countdown has begun for the Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International. Scheduled for this coming Sunday, August 10, the 90-lap Cup Series event will be televised on CW (2 p.m. ET). Fans can also listen to live radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar