Getty Carson Hocevar before practice.
Carson Hocevar undoubtedly had the best season of his young NASCAR career in 2023, winning his first-ever race in the Truck Series and following it up with three more and a trip to the Championship 4 in Phoenix, where he finished third. He also made his Xfinity and Cup Series debuts.
In the latter, he impressively scored five top-20 results in nine races and announced late in the year that he would be competing in NASCAR’s premier series full-time in 2024 with Spire Motorsports. His rapid ascent has taken him to the top. Does he have anything to prove?
That was the question posed on X, and the 20-year-old driver responded.
@dailydownforce nothing. atleast i don’t think so, proved to myself that i could compete with some of my hero’s and my team have more confidence in me then i did before getting more chances last year. not sure what more to prove other then for public opinion, but that’s when you overextend.…
“nothing,” he said. “atleast i don’t think so, proved to myself that i could compete with some of my hero’s and my team have more confidence in me then i did before getting more chances last year. not sure what more to prove other then for public opinion, but that’s when you overextend.
“it’s just about execution to our potential as an organization and as a race team.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Challenged Carson Hocevar at Martinsville
Public opinion.
That’s something the young driver has struggled to swing in his favor throughout his career, and it’s been of his own doing. In 2023 alone, he provided multiple examples of an immature driver who makes short-tempered on-track decisions that turns fans against him, including a pair on the final two race weekends of the season.
In the October 29 Martinsville Cup race, driving for Legacy Motor Club, Hocevar didn’t like how rookie Ty Gibbs was racing against him and responded. Dale Earnhardt Jr. described the action from the NBC broadcast booth.
@DaleJr doesn’t hesitate in warning @CarsonHocevar that his aggressive moves like he displayed on Sunday at Martinsville with @TyGibbs won’t be tolerated in 2024.
“Ty Gibbs maybe moves him out of the way right here,” Earnhardt said, referencing contact Gibbs made with the No. 42 car.
“Pretty simple. Martinsville racing. Now we’re going to go down into Turn 1. Hocevar is going to go into the back and watch this. I’ma hook you,” Junior continued as Hocevar abruptly turned right into the left rear of the No. 54 car, which went for a spin.
“And we know that Hocevar has a habit of doing that,” the NASCAR Hall of Famer said. “I think he’s trying to work on it, but when you come to the Cup Series and do that, you’re gonna get some hard lessons from these guys. Because there’s not a lot of people going to stand up to you in the Truck Series or Xfinity Series, but this Cup Series is a little bit different.”
Carson Hocevar Ends 2023 Season on an Ugly Note, Faces More Criticism
A week later at the November 3 Truck Series championship race in Phoenix, Hocevar again found himself the target of criticism for his aggressiveness on the track.
It started with just over 30 laps remaining when the No. 42 pilot first bumped then got into the left rear of the No. 11, which was clearly the best truck all race, sending Corey Heim for a spin and effectively ending his chances at winning the title.
Hocevar was visibly upset in his truck and apologized later for the incident.
Martin Truex Jr., who isn’t known for offering his opinion on many things, did just that on the young driver’s actions and didn’t sugarcoat what he thought about it.
“I think it’s an act,” Truex told reporters. “I think he’s just acting out to try and make people feel sorry for him.”
Hocevar was criticized by others for his actions.
Based on the 2023 season finish, the driver does have something to prove in 2024 — that he can maintain his composure and not lose his temper against the big dogs when something doesn’t go his way, because if he doesn’t, according to Junior, he’s going to be on the receiving end of some hard lessons.