Carson Hocevar through the years

Carson Hocevar is racing in his third full-time NASCAR Cup Series season. Take a look back at the driver of the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet throughout his NASCAR career.

In 2019, Hocevar made 12 ARCA Menards Series starts while also debuting in the Craftsman Truck Series, piloting a pair of races.

Hocevar inked seven Truck Series races with Niece Motorsports in 2020, split between the Nos. 40 and 42 Chevrolets. He finished 12th at Dover, his best result of the season.

Hocevar's first full-time Truck Series effort came in 2021, taking the Niece No. 42 Chevrolet to the playoffs. He recorded eight top 10s and had just one DNF, ultimately finishing 10th in points.

In 2022, Hocevar returned to the No. 42 truck and improved in most statistical categories. Of note, Hocevar broke his right tibia in a crash at World Wide Technology Raceway, and despite the injury, won the pole a week later at Sonoma. Daniel Suárez later relieved him in the race and earned Hocevar a sixth-place finish.

Returning to Niece for a third full-time campaign, Hocevar finally broke through in 2023 with four victories and a trip to the Truck Series Championship 4. He crashed in the finale and finished fourth in points.

During his breakout Truck Series campaign, Hocevar made his Cup Series debut in June 2023 at World Wide Technology Raceway. Corey LaJoie drove the No. 9 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports as Chase Elliott was suspended, creating a one-race opening with Spire Motorsports. Hocevar finished 36th after an early crash.

Later in 2023, a driver change at Legacy Motor Club led to an eight-race opportunity for Hocevar behind the wheel of the No. 42 Cup Series Chevrolet. He finished 11th in the Bristol Night Race and had five top-20 finishes.

Hocevar's 2023 successes led to a full-time Cup Series ride with Spire Motorsports in 2024, taking over the No. 77 Chevrolet.

While Hocevar had mixed results throughout much of his rookie Cup campaign, his best race came in September at Watkins Glen International. Hocevar finished third, only behind Chris Buescher and Shane van Gisbergen.

In total, Hocevar scored six top 10s with an average finish of 18.3 during the 2024 season. He earned Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors, besting Josh Berry and then-teammate Zane Smith.

Hocevar made significant gains in 2025, his second Cup Series season, but ruffled some feathers along the way. Finishing a career-best second in February at EchoPark Speedway, his mentor, Ross Chastain (pictured above), sought Hocevar out after the race, as did Ryan Blaney.

Hocevar had several near-win opportunities throughout the 2025 season, including the Coca-Cola 600 and his home race at Michigan. He led 32 laps at Michigan but had to pit from the lead with 19 to go because of a tire issue, ultimately finishing 29th. The 22-year-old ended the season with two top fives and nine top 10s, but also had eight DNFs as he finished 23rd in points.

Hocevar, you are now a Cup Series winner. The No. 77 Spire Motorsports driver achieved the feat at Talladega Superspeedway in April 2026, holding off Chris Buescher and others in an electric dash to the finish. Not only did Hocevar collect some winning hardware (as seen here), but he additionally put on a unique celebration, too.