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NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series-Practice and Qualifying Oct 25, 2025 Martinsville, Virginia, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar 77 before NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 Qualifying at Martinsville Speedway. Martinsville Martinsville Speedway Virginia USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xGregxAtkinsx 20251025_kdn_yr6_005
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NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series-Practice and Qualifying Oct 25, 2025 Martinsville, Virginia, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar 77 before NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 Qualifying at Martinsville Speedway. Martinsville Martinsville Speedway Virginia USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xGregxAtkinsx 20251025_kdn_yr6_005
As NASCAR is re-introducing the Chase Format and moving to its more traditional roots, most fans and drivers are happy. Carson Hocevar, however, has a bittersweet reaction, especially given how Spire Motorsports has performed in recent years. The Chevy driver understands what the Chase format brings to the table, but also highlights a major aspect that could concern his team.
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Carson Hocevar focuses on the trouble looming over Spire under the Chase Format
Hocevar is confident within Spire Motorsports; however, he feels that the team performs better in the playoff-style format. He claimed that while they do manage to pull off some strong performances, the point reset hampers them.
“The biggest thing for us, for a team like us, right, is like we could have a good first round and then it all disappears because it goes back to the playoff point,” he said on the NASCAR Live podcast.
This is seemingly a good way to race in the older format; however, the Chase format requires consistency. And if there is one thing to be noted from Carson Hocevar’s performance with Spire in the past two years is that the team is incredibly inconsistent.
The #77 car has managed to pull off quite a few top-five finishes; however, it is almost always followed by a finish at the back of the field. This is the reason why the team could be negatively impacted under the Chase format, and ultimately remain more dependent on their competitors having a bad race.
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NASCAR, Motorsport, USA NASCAR All-Star Open May 18, 2025 North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar 77 during NASCAR All-Star Open at North Wilkesboro Speedway. North Wilkesboro North Wilkesboro Speedway North Carolina USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xPeterxCaseyx 20250518_pjc_bc1_096
“So for us, if we could get some momentum out of the gate, in the Chase, you actually like get to keep that right if the other guys have a bad race or a bad round,” he added.
The issue with Spire, however, extends beyond the format. While the team has managed to pull off some competitive performances, they fall short in winning races. Under the playoff era, this was the only way they could have been title contenders. Even if they did manage to pull that off, keeping it consistent is the team’s biggest issue.
As for that, the Chase Format demands strong and competitive performance more than race wins, and this is where Carson Hocevar feels Spire could fail to perform. In 2025, he finished within the top-10 nine times. At the same time, however, he also had nineteen finishes out of the top-20. This reflects the major issue with the team.
Yet, he is ready to embrace the change that is coming into the sport: “I’m excited for it. I think everybody will welcome the change from within the industry.”
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Quite a few changes are expected under the Chase format. Some even argue that the drivers’ racing style will change, but will that be an issue for the younger drivers?
Will the new drivers adapt to older racing styles?
Driving in NASCAR became quite aggressive under the Playoffs Era. Whether it was Austin Dillon intentionally wrecking drivers to earn a playoff berth or Ross Chastain riding the wall to gain positions and keep himself intact in the top-16, these became testaments to the extent the drivers would go to just to win and keep themselves safe in the playoffs.
However, the Chase format requires more discipline from the drivers. It focuses on consistent performance rather than race wins, and hence, the driving has to be less aggressive.
While there are many drivers, including the likes of Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin, who have driven through the Chase format previously, newer drivers could find it hard to adapt.
Especially the ones who debuted in the sport after 2017, when the elimination-style playoffs were introduced. This can also be observed in the Truck Series, where the races are especially aggressive.
But there seems to be no way out of it. The drivers will have to adapt to new racing styles. But could this mean that the old legends might step back to the top of the game? Or will the newer generation outperform them once again?
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