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ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 20: Carson Hocevar 77 Spire Motorsports Deleware Life Chevrolet looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Craftsman Truck Series FR8 Racing 208 on February 20, 2026, at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, GA. Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 20 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260220147

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ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 20: Carson Hocevar 77 Spire Motorsports Deleware Life Chevrolet looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Craftsman Truck Series FR8 Racing 208 on February 20, 2026, at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, GA. Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 20 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260220147

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ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 20: Carson Hocevar 77 Spire Motorsports Deleware Life Chevrolet looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Craftsman Truck Series FR8 Racing 208 on February 20, 2026, at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, GA. Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 20 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260220147

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ATLANTA, GA – FEBRUARY 20: Carson Hocevar 77 Spire Motorsports Deleware Life Chevrolet looks on during qualifying for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Craftsman Truck Series FR8 Racing 208 on February 20, 2026, at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, GA. Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 20 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Fr8 Racing 208 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260220147
Whether it’s on track or off track, Carson Hocevar is committed to pushing the limits. His aggressive driving has been the talk of the garage and was a highlight of the Cup Series race at Atlanta earlier last week. While he notes it, Hocevar has a strong defense for himself, and he seems to have no plans of going easy anytime soon.
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Hocevar reflects on his aggressive Atlanta drive
“I think everybody graces me very aggressively at times, and I feel like I do the same,” Hocevar said.
While there might have been quite a few incidents with himself, it was his moves that were highlighted throughout the race, especially how hard he kept pushing.
There was a moment on what seemed to be the final restart, when he pushed too hard and put Christopher Bell out of winning contention, but he defended that move, saying, “I felt like it was very calculated of what I wanted to do it. Obviously, that green-white checker, you have two Toyotas in front of you and three Chevys behind you, I’m going to be getting pushed very aggressively.”
However, it did not seem very calculated. The gap between race leader Bubba Wallace and Bell filled up very quickly, and there wasn’t enough time for Carson Hocevar to back down.
“I felt like it was open, but by the time I got there, it was already closed. When you’re making decisions and very split-second decisions, you have to be fully committed one way or the other,” he told SiriusXM.
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Carson Hocevar’s aggressive driving was noted by many. His final push in overtime caused yet another yellow. But did it help him? Seemingly. He started the race in the eighth row, and pushing so hard, even though he made quite a few contacts, Hocevar found himself contending for the race win.
In fact, he would have won the race if Chase Briscoe had not pushed Tyler Reddick toward the win. On the final lap, Hocevar found himself helpless, yet it was a fabulous result for the 23-year-old.
Despite his strong performances, Carson Hocevar is left without a race win. While Spire Motorsports’ performance can be put to blame to some extent, a seasoned Cup driver has a strong tip for him.
Penske driver drops hot advice for Hocevar
Strong performances, but still a lack of wins? That pretty much describes Ryan Blaney’s debut season in the Cup Series. Now that he has established himself as a champion, Blaney can finally drop some tips for the upcoming driver.
“I think he’s one of the best prospects of the young drivers of the sport. And he makes mistakes, but he’s going for it all the time,” he said on the Door, Bumper, Clear podcast. “I think if he cleans up some of the mistakes that he makes, which is what gets him to where he is, I think he’s going to win a bunch of races.”

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 15: Ryan Blaney 12 Team Penske Menards/Peak Ford waves to the crowd prior to the running of the 68th NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Daytona 500 on February 15, 2026 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 15 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602151951500
That seems to be it for him right now. Hocevar has been signed with Spire Motorsports “into the next decade.” This long-term contract could be beneficial for both him and the team if he starts clinching some race wins. As of now, however, it is important for him to know exactly when to push.
There is no doubt that aggressive driving gets him where he wants to be, but that also puts him behind the field in some scenarios. If Carson Hocevar gets into that sweet spot in the near future, he can finally find himself in the victory lane.



