Nobody does it like Carson Hocevar, and Denny Hamlin knows all about it. It’s no secret that the 23-year-old  has been dubbed “Hurricane” Hocevar and he seems to be proving it time and again. At the recent AutoTrader 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Spire Motorsports driver was once again at the center of one of the most talked-about on-track incidents of the early 2026 NASCAR Cup season, the kind of bold, chaotic move Denny Hamlin goes on to analyze.

“Well, there’s a difference. And certainly feel like that there’s better decisions that could be made, but we’re talking about the same thing we’ve been talking about for a year and a half. I don’t. I almost hate that we’re bringing more attention to it because it’s just I think he likes that,” he said in his Actions Detrimental podcast.

Hocevar’s unapologetic driving was on display throughout the race. When the race was coming down to the wire, the Spire Motorsports driver aggressively pushed his way into contention, first spinning Joey Logano’s car with just over 20 laps to go, a slight but costly contact that ended the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion’s serious shot at victory and vaulted Hocevar closer to the front of the pack.

Moreover, what made the weekend particularly polarizing is that he openly defended his late race choices, insisting he was racing for the win and would take every shot available, even if it meant tight, disruptive moves that left rivals fuming. That is exactly the kind of Hamlin that Hocevar likes and wants to put on display.

“You know, I got such a big run, and he (Bell) kind of opened it. As I got there, I felt like there was a hole. But I got there so fast that I’m sure it was closed by the time I arrived. I don’t mean to tear them up, obviously. But at the same time, I felt like that move was probably going to win us the race last year. I felt like if I got an opportunity, I was going to shoot for it,” he said.

But his day did not end with Logano’s run-in.

Later on the first overtime start, he tried to squeeze between competitors in a tight gap that wasn’t really there, collecting Christopher Bell and sending him hard into the outside wall, effectively dashing Bell’s run for the win while the No. 77 driver emerged with minimal damage and a fourth-place finish.

Hamlin doesn’t see it as a stupid or idiotic move; it stems from a place of intentionally wanting to be in front and doing whatever it takes to get that win. Hocevar is in his 3rd year of the Cup Series and has not managed to snag his first-ever maiden Cup win just yet, despite the Michigan native showing some serious speed and leading laps all weekend long.

A p2 isn’t enough for the young ace; he definitely wants more. And that is the kind of grit and determination that one needs to be in NASCAR. However, that also adds some serious pressure on his shoulders as Reddick walked away with his second consecutive win.

But as Hamlin’s team triumphs at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the 45-year-old got real about expectations from 23XI Racing.

Hamlin keeps measured expectations amid 23XI dominance

23XI Racing has come out swinging this year and they look sharper, faster, and far more polished than in 2025. Still, as momentum builds, team co-owner Denny Hamlin isn’t ready to elevate the team into the same tier as powerhouses like Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, or Team Penske, even if Bubba Wallace is clearly chasing that kind of validation.

On track, Tyler Reddick has been the headline act, stringing together statement wins at the Daytona 500 and Atlanta’s AutoTrader 400. Wallace, meanwhile, has been methodical rather than flashy.

He controlled stretches of Daytona, leading 40 laps before finishing 10th, then stacked stage points in Atlanta with a run of finishing stage one and another strong haul in stage two. But when the race tightened late, a defensive move to block Carson Hocevar up high stalled his momentum. The bottom lane surged, and Wallace slipped back to 8th after gambling on the final lap.

Despite the early-season optics, including Reddick and Wallace setting first and second in the standings, Hamlin isn’t buying into the big three talk just yet.

“It’s too early for that. I mean, we’re many wins and championships away from that. There’s no question that we’re building fast cars and cars that are capable of winning week in, week out. We don’t always hit the setup or things like that, but we’re working hard,” he said. “This team being nonexistent six years ago is just amazing that we’re able to do what we did with building this thing from scratch and now having the results week in, week out that is contending with the big guys.”

The organization has definitely overshot its six-year goals in much less time and that is definitely impressive. But Hamlin is keeping his expectations measured. The pace upfront isn’t accidental; it is the result of steady progress and lessons learned. But until the trophy case grows heavier, he is not ready to sit 23XI Racing at the same table as NASCAR’s established giants.