Carson Hocevar reveals his bold fuel strategy for Talladega race: “I’m gonna do it out of protest”

Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar made his intentions clear for Sunday's Jack Links 500 at the Talladega Superspeedway loud and clear. The driver of the #77 Chevrolet doesn't plan on hanging back and saving fuel like the rest of the field, but plans to run full throttle "out of protest" throughout Sunday's 500 miles of racing.

In recent years at the drafting tracks of Daytona and Talladega, NASCAR has seen drivers race with a priority on fuel conservation up until the final pit stop of the race. Because of this, the field will run in the pack without using 100 percent of the throttle to save gas.

When appearing on a recent episode of the Rubbin is Racing podcast, Hocevar was asked if he believes Sunday's race at Talladega will be a similar fuel-saving race seen in the past. The former CRAFTSMAN Truck Series winner believes that'll be the case, but he doesn't want any part of it.

Instead, Hocevar said he plans on putting the pedal to the metal and not concern himself with fuel mileage. The second-year Cup driver made it known he's tired of the way the Cup Series races at Talladega and will do it out of "protest," even if that means running out of fuel. He said:

"I think it'll be the same type of race. I told my guys I'm just going to run the thing out of fuel because I'm just bored of it and I'm just going to do it out of protest, so I'm just going to hold it wide open the entire time and hope we get a yellow that I don't run out of fuel, but if not, I'll just run the thing out of fuel". [0:14]

Sunday's race will be Hocevar's fourth career Cup start at Talladega. In his previous three, the 22-year-old has failed to finish inside the top 30. Hocevar's best finish at Talladega was last April when he posted a 35th-place effort.

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Carson Hocevar showed off Mike Skinner-inspired truck in social media post

Ahead of Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega, Carson Hocevar took to X to share a photo of his truck. The truck is painted up similar to one Mike Skinner used to drive in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.

The truck is painted predominantly black with the iconic Richard Childress Racing #3 on the side. While the late Dale Earnhardt made the #3 car famous, Skinner drove the black #3 in the Truck Series. Hocevar wrote (via X):

"someone at the shop made a modification"

Hocevar is in his second full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series. He wheeled the #77 Spire Motorsports car to Rookie of the Year last season and posted one top five. This season, Hocevar recorded his best career finish of second at Atlanta.