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Cup Series rookie Carson Hocevar gave his thoughts on narrowly missing out on his first career win in Sunday's playoff race at Watkins Glen International. The 21-year-old earned a career-best third place in the Go Bowling at The Glen.
The driver of the #77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet spoke to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at the conclusion of Sunday's event to discuss his race. Hocevar, along with Spire teammates Corey LaJoie and Zane Smith, all placed in the top 10 for the first time in the team's history.
The four-time Truck Series winner started on the front row alongside Chris Buescher in the race's final restart. However, a three-wide move by Shane Van Gisbergen shuffled him back to third by the time the leaders exited the first turn.
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Hocevar was quoted as saying about the race:
"We had a shot there. We were leading into turn one. Just confidence, experience, and everything. I was wheel hopping a little bit on that long run and as the tires cleaned off and cycles, there's just a lot more there."
Buescher wheeled his #17 RFK Racing Ford past Van Gisbergen's #16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet on the last lap to claim the win, while Hocevar ran third behind them. The Michigan native knew it would be a challenge to fend off two former Cup winners and saw his chance to win dissipate once the top two pulled away after the restart. Hocevar said:
"A third is a really good day for us, but unfortunately, I thought I was doing the right thing of getting in as deep as I did. The second I saw them [Buescher and Van Gisbergen] lunge back in front of me, I knew I gave away all my leverage and the opportunity to win."
Hocevar was still in great spirits despite coming up short on a potential Cup victory, especially given that Smith and LaJoie placed fifth and eighth, respectively.
"Still really strong. Especially the fact that there's two Spire Motorsports cars right behind me really close," he added.
Carson Hocevar's rise through the NASCAR ranks
Carson Hocevar burst onto the NASCAR scene in the Truck Series in 2019, making his debut in the Eldora Dirt Derby for Jordan Anderson Racing. He drove part-time for Niece Motorsports in 2020 for nine races and was promoted to full-time driving in 2021.
Hocevar placed runner-up at Charlotte and fourth at Las Vegas in the 2021 campaign. He went winless in 2022 but proceeded to score four wins in 2023 at Texas, Nashville, Richmond, and Homestead, and also made a Championship 4 appearance at season's end, where he finished fourth (third in the points standings after Heim's penalty).
Hocevar moved up to the Cup Series full-time ahead of the 2024 season for Spire Motorsports. Sunday marked his first top-five finish, and after 28 races, he sits 22nd in the standings.
