Carson Hocevar’s journey through the NASCAR Cup Series has been a roller coaster of highs and lows. The 22-year-old Michigan native has dealt with everything from rookie mistakes to flashes of brilliance, all while helping elevate Spire Motorsports in the competitive world of Cup racing.
Jumping straight from Trucks to Cup racing isn’t something many drivers do. It’s tough. But Hocevar managed to win the 2024 Rookie of the Year award despite the learning curve.
His aggressive style behind the wheel has turned some heads — not always in a good way. Last year, at Nashville, Hocevar was hit with a $50,000 fine and docked 25 points after a controversial move on the track.
Carson Hocevar: From Rookie Challenges To Growing Momentum
The 2025 season has followed a similar pattern of highs and lows. After opening with a DNF at the Daytona 500, Hocevar bounced back with a career-best second-place finish at Atlanta, just missing a win in a dramatic overtime finish. He then captured his first Cup Series pole at Texas, showing off both his raw talent and Spire’s growing competitiveness.
While these moments highlight his potential, Hocevar’s Cup campaign has been hit by bad luck and mechanical trouble. Still, through it all, there’s been steady growth for both the driver and his team.
“I feel like we’re getting it out of the way,” Hocevar said about his recent string of bad luck. “You can’t predict when someone’s going to spin, and just so you come off the pit road.”
He understands where the team stands. “Do I think we’re getting closer? Yes. Do I think there’s a race … where we’re the dominant car that we’re going to be up front? Probably not yet. I don’t think we’re there.”
Hocevar doesn’t sugarcoat Spire’s progress, either.
“We’re getting faster, and we’re running in the top five more often. It’s more likely to kind of land in your lap there, as long as you’re there and continue. But I think we’re still a little bit far away from, you know, just flat out dominating races.”
Things are trending upward, though. Hocevar just won a Truck Series race at Kansas — only his second Truck start this year. He bounced off the wall on the last lap but still took the checkered flag, reminding everyone he knows how to win.
Reflecting on his unique path, Hocevar admits, “It’s going to be rare that you jump from Trucks to Cup without any Xfinity.” Most drivers spend time in the Xfinity Series before moving to Cup, but he’s had to learn in NASCAR’s top series.
As Spire keeps improving and Hocevar builds experience, that first Cup win seems a little closer each week.
“We’re getting closer,” Hocevar says simply. And watching him grow, it’s getting harder to doubt that.