“Here’s a heads-up, kid! You don’t know who you’re messing with!” This was the bold assertion from Cup Series veteran, AJ Allmendinger, directed at upstart Carson Hocevar during the recent Ambetter Health 400. The young Spire Motorsports Cup Series driver, Hocevar, has been stirring the pot at the NASCAR Cup Series, most notably at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Despite his aggressive on-track maneuvers, including spinning out Ryan Blaney and a relentless bout with Ross Chastain, Allmendinger stands unshaken.
The Kaulig Racing driver, despite his yet-to-be-achieved victory in the 2025 season, is not one to be cowed. His transition from Xfinity to Cup hasn’t dampened his fighting spirit in the slightest. He’s ready to face any challenge, including the audacious Hocevar.
With the introduction of the Next-Gen car in 2022, 12 drivers have claimed victories on road courses, and Allmendinger is a seasoned road warrior among them. His first Cup Series win came in 2014 at Watkins Glen International, followed by victories at the Cup Series’ Indianapolis road course event in 2021 and Charlotte’s road course in 2023. This seasoned driver, even when faced with the havoc-wreaking Hocevar, is the epitome of composure.
Allmendinger, who drove the No. 16 Chevrolet, had a strong start at the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, qualifying in 12th place. By lap 15, he was already locking horns with Hocevar for the 7th place. The shocking incident of Ross Chastain ramming into Chase Elliott on the first lap was still fresh in everyone’s minds when Allmendinger’s spotter, Frank Deiny, issued a caution about Hocevar. Allmendinger’s response was fearless: “He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.”
Allmendinger then smoothly overtook Hocevar, later securing a tenth-place finish in Stage 1 and acquiring 5 points for finishing 6th at the end of Stage 2. His aggressive pursuit of the lead against Kyle Busch and Christopher Bell during the closing laps was unfortunately hampered by tire issues, causing him to fall to 30th at the finish line. Regardless, Allmendinger’s audacious approach towards Hocevar received commendation. Even Christopher Bell, a back-to-back race winner, issued warnings about Hocevar’s aggressive tactics.
However, this wasn’t the first time Allmendinger faced a challenge on this track. Two years prior, he was the victim of another audacious driver, Ross Chastain, during a similarly chaotic NASCAR Cup Series COTA race. Allmendinger was on the verge of a double win when Chastain pushed past him on the final lap, causing Allmendinger’s car to ricochet off Alex Bowman’s. Chastain’s aggressive move paved the way for his breakthrough win for his team, Trackhouse Racing.
Allmendinger displayed admirable sportsmanship following the incident, stating, “At the end of the day, like I said, you’ve got to look at yourself in the mirror. If you’re OK with it, you’re OK with it. Every person is different.” By 2023, he had completely forgiven Chastain, demonstrating that he’s not one to hold grudges. This previous experience has seemingly made him even braver, as evident in his fearless confrontation with Hocevar at COTA.
With a considerable portion of the Cup Series schedule still remaining, fans are eagerly waiting to see more of Allmendinger’s daring manoeuvres. It’s worth watching out for what this Kaulig Racing driver might pull off next.
