For Carson Hocevar, heartbreak on his home track as first Cup win stays elusive

New York Times

09-06-2025

BROOKLYN, Mich. — If Carson Hocevar allowed himself to dream of the possibility, it would've been understandable. Here he was, leading on his home track, Michigan International Speedway, and his first-career NASCAR Cup Series victory felt within reach.
Hocevar knew better, though, so he held off thinking about what it would be like. The talented 22-year-old kept his attention focused forward on Sunday afternoon. Too much could still happen, even with so few laps remaining. He knew he was low on fuel and likely needed a caution to make it to the finish. And there was also the chance something beyond his control could prevent what would've been a popular win before his home state fans.
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It's a good thing Hocevar didn't begin envisioning what that win would've felt like because it would've only compounded the disappointment he felt leaving the track after a flat tire suffered with 18 laps remaining derailed his bid. Instead of a euphoric victory, he finished 29th, a deflating result he admitted stung.
'We did everything right,' Hocevar said. 'We never lost the lead by our own doing. We lost it by a tire going away.'
A flat tire forces @CarsonHocevar to pit road late 😱 #NASCARonPrime pic.twitter.com/6rtWTZME2I
— Sports on Prime (@SportsonPrime) June 8, 2025
Hocevar may not have even made it to the end of the 400-mile race without needing another pit stop, with his Spire Motorsports team expecting his fuel tank to run dry with about four or five laps remaining.
Still, the team was going to go for it. The team presented Hocevar with the option of either slowing down to conserve fuel or continuing to run hard and hoping for a caution that would've aided their cause, helping save fuel due to the slower speed. Without hesitation, he answered 'caution.'
For a young driver like Hocevar, still coming into his own, an opportunity like this isn't common yet — even if he had one of the fastest cars on the track for a third consecutive race. Nor has Spire, though full of promise and certainly on the upswing, yet evolved into a powerhouse team contending for wins on a near-weekly basis.
For both parties, this is still new territory. And this was the big takeaway crew chief Luke Lambert shared while dissecting the calls made over the final laps.
'It's hard on all of us, but we got to just step back a little bit and look at where we are, running consistently in the top three,' Lambert said. 'That, in and of itself, is an accomplishment. And if we keep doing that, our day is coming, and we just have to recognize that and focus on controlling what we can control.'
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Because of the flat tire, we'll never know if Hocevar's gambit of pushing it on fuel would've worked. It's likely he would've had to pit, just as second-place William Byron and others were forced to do. There is a strong chance Hocevar would've lost either way.
Still, a win was on the table and slipped away. And that this was Michigan, of all places, only added to the heartbreak.
'It's such a double-edged sword,' Hocevar said. 'There's nothing I could go back and just be like, we could be better in this moment to win the race or not. There are so many moments where we're just like, 'Man, I just wish we had that opportunity to see if we even would have had a fighting shot at the end at these races.' I'd much rather be in these spots and have these things happening than be slow.'
When Hocevar stepped out of his car, he grabbed a snack, then walked around pit road, alone, to collect his thoughts. He then discarded the Uncrustable after only a few bites, obviously frustrated.
This season has put Hocevar on a rollercoaster. Two weeks ago at Charlotte, he had an engine failure while running second. Last week at Nashville Superspeedway, he placed second, matching his career-best finish from earlier this year at Atlanta Motor Speedway. But Nashville, like Atlanta, also saw him immersed in controversy for exhibiting a level of aggressive driving many of his competitors felt crossed a line. All of which has made him a somewhat polarizing figure.
Many young drivers go through these trials early in their careers. Hocevar, the 2024 Rookie of the Year, is just the latest example. And similar to those before him, he'll have to learn to navigate the delicate balance of not shying away from what makes him a special talent and knowing when to choose his spots to be aggressive.
'I certainly give him his fair share of s— on Mondays on my podcast, but that doesn't mean that I don't respect his talent,' said Michigan race-winner Denny Hamlin, who at age 44 is the oldest full-time driver in the series. 'Absolutely just a superstar when it comes to actual raw talent. When he figures out how to harness that, pick and choose the moments where he is aggressive, he's going to put it all together and just be the next whoever.
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'There are five to six elite drivers in this field. He can be one of those five or six very easily when he puts it all together.'
Eventually, Hocevar will put it all together. And likely soon. His first-career win is very much on the horizon. If one or two things had unfolded differently in any of the past three races, and he'd be celebrating in victory lane.
But he sure would've loved to have had it happen on Sunday. And after it didn't, there was only way to summarize what he was feeling.
'It's unfortunate,' Hocevar said.
(Photo of Carson Hocevar leading the pack during Sunday's Cup Series race in Michigan: Chris Graythen / Getty Images)