Denny Hamlin reacts to Carson Hocevar new nickname, claims as his own

Carson Hocevar has a new nickname thanks to Leigh Diffey. As Hocevar charged towards the top five in Sunday’s Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway, the NBC announcer passionately said, “Here comes the Hurricane!”

And so, “Hurricane Hocevar” was born. It appears it has stuck, though he isn’t the first driver to go by Hurricane. Once upon a time, as Denny Hamlin was coming up through the short track ranks in Virginia, he was known as “Hurricane Hamlin.” It’s true — Hamlin even has a t-shirt to prove it.

“Hurricane Hamlin. It’s been around for years. I’ve got t-shirts,” Hamlin said on Monday’s “Actions Detrimental” podcast.

We’re a long time removed from Hamlin using the Hurricane nickname. It never followed him to NASCAR. Hocevar can have it, Hamlin said.

“I don’t give a shit, it’s whatever. … Just call him whatever you want. It’s fine,” Hamlin said.

Carson Hocevar lives up to ‘Hurricane Hocevar’ nickname at Iowa

Diffey was on the money with his thinking. Hocevar moves fast and tends to wreck everything in his path… sort of like a hurricane.

We saw it at Iowa, as Hocevar sent Zane Smith spinning on Lap 229. Smith then appeared to take a stab at wrecking Hocevar later in the race. On pit road after the race, Smith’s crew chief Ryan Bergenty interrupted an interview Hocevar was doing to confront the driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet.

“Hey, when are you going to learn to f*cking drive, dude?” Bergenty said. “I mean you wiped us the f*ck out.”

Hocevar seemed unbothered that Smith and his team were upset with him. Hocevar posted on Instagram after the race, and his song choice for the post was “IDGAF” by Drake, which translates to “I don’t give a f*ck.” The post also included a picture of a ticket counter with the message to “please take a number.” Of course, Hocevar was making reference to the growing list of drivers who have a problem with him.

Hocevar has been down this road several times in his brief NASCAR career. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was angry with him at Nashville and later Mexico City, while both Ryan Blaney and Ross Chastain spoke with him at Atlanta. It’s all part of the Hurricane Hocevar experience.