Carson Hocevar had his big breakthrough moment this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. The 22-year-old grabbed his first-ever NASCAR Cup Series pole with a blazing lap of 191.659 mph. It marked the second-fastest qualifying lap since the introduction of the Next Gen car, just shy of Christopher Bell’s 193.382 mph record at Michigan in 2023.
Historic Performance by Carson Hocevar at Texas Motor Speedway
Hocevar’s lap time of 28.175 seconds edged out William Byron by just 0.014 seconds—razor thin. The young driver put his No. 77 Chevrolet on the front row for Sunday’s Würth 400 and made some serious history in the process. He became the youngest driver ever to win a pole at Texas, delivering a major milestone for Spire Motorsports.
The Texas qualifying session was ultra-competitive, with the top six drivers all breaking 191 mph. William Byron, Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, and Michael McDowell rounded out the top five, while Ty Gibbs slotted in sixth. Defending Texas winner Chase Elliott rolled off from 29th, underlining the unpredictable nature of the current Cup field.
Hocevar came remarkably close to breaking the Next Gen speed record, missing Bell’s mark by just 1.723 mph. That says a lot about both the speed Texas still offers and how teams have continued dialing in the Next Gen package since 2022.
Rising Star Carson Hocevar Makes Texas History
“It’s really big for these guys. It’s super impressive for what they’ve been able to do,” Hocevar said after qualifying. “This is the same group that on pit road, off pit road, at the shop, everyone working on this No. 77 is exactly the same as I started here at Spire with last year.”
Hocevar fully embraced the Texas vibe in celebration, rocking a custom cowboy firesuit from sponsor Chili’s and topping it off with a black 10-gallon hat.
“Having the cowboy outfit—what better place to be on the pole,” he said, clearly soaking up the moment.
Only a few drivers have ever qualified above 190 mph in the Next Gen era. Along with Bell’s Michigan run and Hocevar’s lap, Bubba Wallace (190.703 mph at Michigan in 2022) and Kyle Larson (2024 Texas) round out the exclusive club.
With the coveted No. 1 pit stall and strong momentum, Hocevar entered the 2025 Würth 400 on Sunday, May 4, as a serious threat to turn his historic pole into a career-defining win. As the race continues, fans are watching to see if his raw qualifying speed can carry him to Victory Lane and solidify his place as one of NASCAR’s rising stars.