"So happy for Carson": Ross Chastain welcomes Carson Hocevar’s Cup Series move to Spire Motorsports with open arms

Carson Hocevar is set to embark on a full-time journey in the NASCAR Cup Series starting in 2024, where he will take the wheel of the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet under a multi-year agreement. The 20-year-old driver, originally from Michigan, expanded into the Cup Series this year.

Carson Hocevar had six starts, one with Spire Motorsports at World Wide Technology Raceway and five in the No. 42 Chevrolet for Legacy Motor Club. During these races, he achieved an average finish of 22.5 and secured his best finish of 11th place at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Ross Chastain expressed his joy and support for Carson with enthusiasm in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Chastain celebrated Carson's achievements and welcomed the prospect of sharing the track as teammates in the coming year.

"So happy for Carson! I’ve watched him become a NASCAR winner @NieceMotorsport this season. He has put in a lot of hard work and has proven he is deserving of an opportunity like this one. Happy to have him as a @TeamChevy teammate once again in 2024!

Currently, Carson Hocevar is amidst the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Playoffs, driving Niece Motorsports' No. 42 Chevrolet in his third year with the team. In April 2023, he clinched his first career victory at Texas Motor Speedway, following four second-place finishes.

Carson Hocevar's impressive 2023 racing season and transition to Spire Motorsports

Carson Hocevar continued to impress throughout the regular season, securing wins at Nashville Superspeedway and Richmond Raceway before the playoffs. While he hasn't secured a playoff victory in four races this year, Hocevar has achieved nine top-five finishes in his last 13 races, including a second-place finish in August at the Milwaukee Mile.

Additionally, in a part-time role in the Cup Series, Hocevar showcased his talent in the No. 42 Chevrolet for Legacy Motor Club, with four top-20 finishes in five starts, with the exception being a late crash at Talladega Superspeedway.

Before Hocevar's involvement, the No. 42 car, driven by Noah Gragson, Josh Berry and Mike Rockenfeller at different times, managed only three top-20 finishes this year in 26 races.

Hocevar attributes his success on the race track to the extensive off-track work he has done as a simulation driver for Chevrolet teams, particularly during the introduction of the Next Gen vehicle into the Cup Series. His simulation skills were put to use by Hendrick Motorsports and Trackhouse Racing before he joined Legacy Motor Club.

Now, as he joins Spire Motorsports, he will be teammates with Corey LaJoie, who recently signed a multi-year extension to continue driving the team's No. 7 Chevrolet. Following Rockenfeller's run at the Charlotte road course, Hocevar will take the wheel of the No. 42 Chevrolet for the remaining four races of 2023, starting at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday.