“I don’t think it's unreasonable”: NASCAR insider gives ‘bold’ prediction on his pick for the ‘first-time’ winner in 2025 season 

Renowned journalist Joseph Srigley shared his opinion on the chances of a Spire Motorsports star with a breakout triumph in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series. Carson Hocevar, the 2024 NASCAR Rookie of the Year, caught the insider's eye among the other Cup Series drivers searching for their maiden win in the premier division.

Amid all the high-octane stock car racing and the chase for the prestigious Cup Series trophy, a few drivers were searching for their maiden win on the oval circuit. Of those, only Harrison Burton managed to win a race at the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400 event at Daytona International Speedway.

In a post on X, Srigley shared his take on the question raised by NASCAR on NBC for the next first-time winner in the 2025 season. Among drivers like Ty Gibbs, Todd Gilliland, Ryan Preece, and a few others, Srigley picked the 21-year-old Hocevar as the driver to etch his mark in the Cup Series winning list.

"This may be slightly bold… but, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say @CarsonHocevar goes to Victory Lane in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025," wrote Srigley.

Moreover, Hocevar once looked back on his 2024 season and shared his thoughts on the people who doubted him in his rookie Cup season.

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NASCAR ROTY Carson Hocevar reflected on his impressive season with Spire Motorsports

After three successful full-time seasons with Niece Motorsports in the Truck Series, the Michigan native Hocevar bagged a full-time Cup ride with Spire Motorsports, piloting the No. 77 Chevy.

In a video posted by Spire Motorsports on YouTube, Hocevar said:

"I don't know if anybody would've guessed that I would be the most consistent rookie per se or put together a really strong whole year, but I feel like we could and everybody on our team did. That's our strength. I was able to come in with Luke Lambert [crew chief]. Me and him had ran well in a Cup car before this year, so we knew we both can do it together."

Furthermore, the young Cup Series driver also talked about the race at Watkins Glen International where the Chevy driver finished third, and at the Homestead race finishing in the top 10 amongst the 2024 playoff drivers. He added:

"Just being able to execute at those high levels and being able to not let the moment be too big for the guys on the pit wall, guys going over the wall, guys on the radio, and then obviously myself. Just being able to take moments and when the opportunity comes, say thank you, move on, and be able to execute still at a high level."

As the season concluded, Hocevar finished P21 in the final drivers' standings and managed one top-five and six top-10 finishes.