RFK Playoff Drivers Could Be Caught in Keselowski-Hocevar Feud
Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson warned on Thursday that RFK Racing playoff drivers Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece could face retaliation following an on-track collision between Brad Keselowski and rookie Carson Hocevar at Darlington Raceway, sparking an intense garage-area feud during the opening round of the Chase for the Championship.
The Escalation of the Keselowski-Hocevar Feud
While speaking to Jeff Gluck on his Gluckcast show, Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson addressed the unfolding rivalry and suggested that retaliation against Hocevar could inadvertently draw in RFK Racing’s championship contenders. Dickerson noted, according to Yahoo Sports, “They’ve got two cars in the Chase, too. What are we doing? What, he wants to dump Carson, so then Carson goes and gets [Chris Buescher]? All these unwritten rules out there. Chase guys, non-Chase guys. It’s like Brad knows these rules; he wrote them. So, if a non-Chase guy wants to do that, OK, then I guess whatever happens, happens. It’s the same to us. I can tell you, if Carson is going to get wrecked, there will be a commensurate response.”
The stakes are uniquely skewed by the 16-team, 10-race playoff format. Keselowski failed to qualify for the postseason field, leaving him with little to lose points-wise should he choose to retaliate, though he still faces potential fines as an owner-driver for RFK Racing. Meanwhile, Buescher sits 11th in the standings and teammate Ryan Preece rests 15th, while Hocevar occupies the 12th position heading through the early rounds of the Chase.
Driver Responses and Garage Reactions
Targeted drivers and team leadership quickly dismissed the notion that Buescher’s No. 17 team should be caught in the crossfire. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Buescher expressed exasperation over Dickerson’s public comments, calling them “dumb” and explaining that he actively avoids social media noise. Buescher remarked via Yahoo Sports, “Yeah, I mean, we just ignore the stupidity and roll on. That’s one of the dumber things I’ve heard. So obviously, we have nothing to do with that.”
Keselowski remained defiant when asked about the brewing confrontation during his Saturday press conference, offering a brief and direct challenge: “Bring it,” as noted by Yahoo Sports. “I’ll fight back with anybody in the garage. I’m not afraid of that.” Ryan Preece echoed a similarly combative stance, warning, “Be careful what you look for because you might find it.”
Conversely, Hocevar embraced the controversy as a commercial win for the sport, pointing to viral social media engagement. Hocevar told reporters, according to Yahoo Sports, “I have to think so. I scroll on TikTok or whatever, and I’m pretty much my whole ‘for you’ page. It’s just me on my own page. There’s one that got a million something views. That has to be good for the sport.” He added that historical clashes at venues like Bristol or Richmond often define the sport’s legacy, comparing the current rivalry to classic stock car confrontations.
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