This weekend is the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. What’s special about this race is that it marks a Throwback weekend, during which drivers and teams run tribute liveries. This began in 2015 and has since become a tradition. However, NASCAR has decided to halt it this year temporarily and has left it up to the teams, and Carson Hocevar is taking advantage.
Carson Hocevar talked about the NASCAR tradition possibly dying out
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Hocevar told Jordan Bianchi, “I really wanted to do one. This was their idea even before Throwback Week went away. This was kind of a corporate company; they don’t plan anything at the last second. They got to get everything approved, and I felt that this made a lot of sense for them. They specifically bought this race, kind of with that in mind, so this was important to them. Also, when it all stops and everybody goes away, you’re then kind of the only one running a throwback, or there’s a lot less emphasis, so you could kind of stand out more, which is good for a brand and their idea, I have to imagine.”
In short, the whole thing was not just because Hocevar begged to pay tribute to Dale Earnhardt. This was all the machination of Spire Motorsports and its title sponsor, Chili’s, backed by its parent company, Brinker International.
The #77 driver was only too happy to go along with it, and he would finally get a chance to drive a car with Dale Sr.’s colors. However, he insisted that this was not a spur-of-the-moment decision but something that had been planned for a long time.
Admittedly, there hasn’t been much news of other teams running throwback schemes. So this will help the #77 Spire Motorsports driver stand out even more. Apparently, the Throwback scheme practice had been scaled back largely due to the fact that the sponsors were less receptive. Additionally, NASCAR felt that this practice had finally run its course after a decade. That being said, instead of outright abolishing the practice, the sport has left it up to the teams’ discretion, and it is no longer mandatory.
Will the paint scheme help him channel his inner Dale Earnhardt?
The 23-year-old is considered a massive rising star in NASCAR and is getting increasingly popular. It is no secret that he greatly admires the late Dale Earnhardt. Sometimes, he even drives like the 7-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion, something that his rivals do not appreciate. The paint scheme that will run at the Track Too Tough to Tame is the iconic yellow and blue livery that Dale Sr. drove.
The only differences between the two paint schemes are the cars they adorned and the title sponsors. Back then, Dale Earnhardt was sponsored by Wrangler Jeans, and Hocevar is sponsored by Chili’s for this race weekend. Speaking of which, he has qualified in 16th place as he remains on the hunt for a maiden NASCAR Cup Series win. This is Carson Hocevar’s 3rd full-time season in the Cup Series, and he has shown flashes of speed but horrific luck.
Even in 2026, Carson Hocevar has been quick and among the leaders. However, he would eventually either crash or his #77 car would have some issues that put him out of contention. His best finish this season was an impressive 4th place at the EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta. Fortunately, there is plenty of time for him to finally get the monkey off his back, and he will be hoping that Darlington Raceway will be the track to do it on. So the big question is, will the power and spirit of Dale Earnhardt propel Hocevar to Victory Lane, or will he agonizingly miss out yet again?
