Carson Hocevar Believes Team Is Trending Upwards, As Evident By Clash Performance

Carson Hocevar’s performance at Bowman Gray Stadium on Wednesday was impressive enough for Spire Motorsports to reward him by signing a long-term contract extension that locks him into the organization for at least five more years, stretching into the 2030s. For the reigning 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year, the night went exactly as the team had hoped when it placed its faith in him.

The final results sheet failed to capture the full scope of his effort, but anyone watching closely saw the range of Hocevar’s ability on display. He started the Clash from P12 and wasted little time moving forward. By Lap 74, he had broken into the top five. Six laps later, he advanced to fourth.

On Lap 122, he climbed all the way to the front, leading the field and briefly dictating pace before contact derailed his run in the latter stages. Hocevar paced the race for 18 laps, and that’s because, although the event carried exhibition status, Hocevar approached it as if it were not a rehearsal. He explained his mindset clearly.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s a cup race, even though it’s not points, and even though it’s the size of a smaller than a Chili’s. We’re listening to small, almost a restaurant, right, so it’s really short. But still a cup race. Everybody went to the DIL and brought their haulers and unloaded their cars and prepped as if it a points race, so it’s not any different.”

“I think for us to unload really fast last year and for us to unload better, I think more so gives us a sign that we can improve on our speed more than like ‘Okay, we’re like with the big three, we got them. Like, I think it just shows we can improve from last year to this year. And hopefully that trend can continue. I think that’s where you’ll see it more,” he continued.

The race itself was in typical Bowman Gray fashion, a perfectly chaotic one, and Hocevar found himself in frequent contact as drivers fought for every inch. One exchange proved costly when he sustained damage while running door-to-door with Ty Gibbs, a moment that started to alter the trajectory of his night.

The strategy further complicated matters when, after Hocevar’s team switched from wet-weather tires to slicks, NASCAR directed them to reverse that decision. The call cost him track position. Earlier, he was running for the lead or competing in the top 5, but after the tire switch incident, he was battling at the back of the pack. With nearly 20 laps remaining, while fighting for 17th, Hocevar again made contact with Bubba Wallace.

Wallace retaliated just a moment later. As the Spire Motorsports driver entered Turn 3, Wallace hooked his car and sent him spinning through the grass along the frontstretch. The incident dropped Hocevar down the order, and he crossed the line in 15th place, a result that fell short of reflecting how strong his car had been throughout the night.

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