Carson Hocevar’s aggressiveness led to wins and conflicts during his time in the Craftsman Truck Series. It is also the secret weapon behind his performance in the Cup Series.
“I felt comfortable really being aggressive,” Hocevar told NBC Sports ahead of the Talladega weekend. “I think a lot of guys that get in this car, they’re scared to crash where I haven’t been scared once. Crashing is a part of racing and making mistakes is a part of racing.
“I think the biggest mistake for me would be not driving at 100% because I’m nervous. If I was nervous about crashing or spinning, I don’t belong to be out there.”
Hocevar, who remains in contention for Truck Series championship, made his Cup Series debut in June at Gateway. He replaced Corey LaJoie in the No. 7 Spire Motorsports entry while LaJoie replaced a suspended Chase Elliott at Hendrick Motorsports.
Hocevar ran inside the top 15 after starting 26th. He did not finish the race. His brake rotor exploded and sent his Chevrolet into the outside wall. He still turned heads in the Cup garage by avoiding mistakes.
The Michigan native’s early run in his Cup debut was not a fluke.
Hocevar returned to the Cup Series on Sept. 3 at Darlington. He took over the No. 42 for Legacy Motor Club as one of the replacement drivers when the team and Noah Gragson parted ways.
LaJoie told NBC Sports prior to the race that The Lady in Black could present challenges for Hocevar. The 1.366-mile track is notoriously difficult for drivers to tame. The stripes on the cars and the number of DNFs each season are a testament to this.
“He’s a talented guy, and I’m sure he’ll settle in,” LaJoie said. “But this would be a tough, tough place to be early in your career without that Next Gen experience.”
Hocevar found his groove and finished 17th at Darlington. He then went to Kansas and finished 20th.
An 11th-place result at Bristol the following week set a career-best mark. Hocevar ran inside the top 10 throughout the night and finished stage 2 in fifth.
Hocevar’s most recent outing took place at Texas where both Legacy MC cars showed speed. Teammate Erik Jones ran inside of the top five before being collected in a multi-car crash with 12 laps to go.
There was a moment when Hocevar paid the price for his aggressiveness. He tried to pass Joey Logano on the outside with 46 laps remaining in the race. He hit the outside wall and nearly spun. Hocevar was able to continue after falling to 23rd. He eventually finished 16th.
adapt and learn, knocked wall down and bent a lot, but learned to drive it with rear end moving and got back to p16!
— Carson Hocevar (@CarsonHocevar) September 24, 2023
top 10-12 pace for sure. thank you @LegacyMotorclub for having me again! pic.twitter.com/IneENvHhVj
“Putting together Cup races, you only know if you can do that when you get here,” Ross Chastain said at Texas. “I think it’s happening a little quicker for him than most — especially me — but I’m proud of him and I’m proud of the work he’s put in.”
Chastain has seen the growth firsthand. He and Hocevar have worked together frequently at Niece Motorsports. Hocevar also spent time working on Trackhouse Racing’s simulator setups.
The finishes draw the most attention at the end of the race weekend, but the performances start the day before the race. Hocevar has delivered for Legacy MC during qualifying. He has started inside the top 20 in three of the four races he has driven the No. 42. The lone exception is Kansas when he lined up 21st.
Hocevar’s average starting position with Legacy MC is 17.75. As crew chief Luke Lambert explained to NBC Sports, this is a byproduct of constant work behind the scenes. Hocevar has spent the days leading up to the race weekend preparing so that he can execute during practice, qualifying and then the race without any setbacks.
“The main thing that we’ve been trying to emphasize in this situation is just covering all our bases, having conversations about some of the details of the events that you may not necessarily have with a two- or three-year veteran,” Lambert said.
“And (Hocevar has) been very engaged in that and done his homework and helped us make sure that we’re prepared as a team to execute all the different moments of the weekend that are really critical to having a solid finish.”
Hocevar has raw speed – he’s shown this in all three national NASCAR series. Now it is coinciding with Legacy MC bringing better setups to the track each week. The result is a string of top-20 finishes.
This outcome was not set in stone. Numerous talented drivers have won in other national series before struggling in Cup.
Lambert pointed to Hocevar’s willingness to do his homework each week as a reason for the success. Hocevar said that the similarities between the Chevrolet Silverado and the Chevrolet Camaro helped with the learning curve, as did his sim work for Trackhouse Racing.
“I mean, the data is super close,” Hocevar said. “It’s within a fraction of an inch, right? So you can know exactly where everybody lifts, exactly where everybody brakes. You can sort of teach yourself a little bit.”
Of course, the simulator can only teach so much. Hocevar has learned through his completed laps that there is a specific point where he is pushing the car too hard. He has been able to catch the car at times when he has gone over that line.
Hocevar has also done some damage by running into the wall. Learning to strike a balance is a crucial part of his growth as a Cup driver, but he still embraces the opportunity to dive into the corners and drive up against the wall.
Raw speed and aggressiveness got Hocevar to a certain point of his career. He has been able to move even further by working on himself. This process took time and featured some difficult conversations with his team and Dale Earnhardt Jr., but it paid off.
“The speed’s not surprising, the raw talent that he has,” Chastain said. “We’ve seen it for years, and it’s been a building process at Niece Motorsports. Three-and-a-half years over there of Al (Niece) and everybody at Niece Motorsports building him into the driver he is.”
Hocevar has impressed in limited Cup starts, but what is next? He hasn’t announced his 2024 plans yet. The expectation in the garage is that he will drive for a Cup team on a full-time basis.
If Hocevar makes the expected move, he should only be better prepared for the rigors of a full Cup schedule. He has shown that he has confidence in himself and comfort in the Next Gen car. The next step is putting it into practice for a new team.
“I expect him to do great things in the (Cup Series),” Lambert said. “I think that the opportunity we’ve had to work together this year, I feel like he’s making the most of it and I expect to see him continue that progression.”