Carson Hocevar’s aggressive driving might not have impressed many on the Cup field last year, but, according to Dale Earnhardt Jr, Hocevar’s recent deal with Spire Motorsports might help put this behind him. While the big three, Gibbs, Hendrick, and Penske, were not too interested in signing him, Junior reveals how their outlook towards the 23-year-old can change quickly.

Dale Jr. on Hocevar’s long-term Spire deal

“They appreciate him for who he is, and they take him with all his flaws and imperfections.” Right off the hook, Dale Jr. put out that despite his strong performance, Carson Hocevar has his flaws, and it is quite apparent. Last year, which was just his second season of full-time racing, Hocevar remained quite aggressive. He tangled with some of the most seasoned drivers, which, understandably, did not impress the big three.

In February, he was called “a mo–n” and “an absolute weapon” by Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney. In June, he was threatened by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in June for his antics. In October, he ended Austin Cindric’s playoff hopes.

While this can upset any team, Junior explains how things can change very quickly for Hocevar.

“Some of the things that he did on the racetrack last year probably did sour some of the big three owners, Gibbs, Hendrick, Penske. But I’m telling, if you win races, if he goes out and wins a couple of races, everybody can look the other way. And they’ll have short-term memory right about a little times he ran into their race cars,” Dale Jr said on his podcast.

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Hocevar is adamant about his racing style. He has mentioned that he would not change it. “I don’t wanna change or lose my edge.” But Spire gives him stability and more room to mature. The team is not chasing the championship, but if they can get to winning a few races, Hocevar will be looking ahead to a better future. And Junior feels it was a good decision that both parties extended their partnership.

“I think it was a good idea for Carson to lock that in and give himself security. He knows where he’s going to be. He can continue to build. They’ve got a lot of great momentum as an organization.”

There isn’t an exact number, but his new contract extension does keep him with the team for the upcoming few seasons, and that is all the time he needs to improve his driving further. If he does manage to improve on that, the big three might as well look back at him and sign him.

As of now, the situation seems a little fragile at Spire. Although the team did deliver a few strong performances last year, they did not win a race. And now with the changing championship format, it might get more difficult for them.

Carson Hocevar on racing in the Chase format

“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,” highlights Carson Hocevar. While bidding farewell to the elimination-style playoff and welcoming the Chase format back into the sport has earned quite a few cheers from the fans, the likes at Spire Motorsports seem worried.

Hocevar, preparing for his third full-time season with the team, now has enough experience to speak on Spire’s behalf, and he seems to be drawing a bold confession moving into the new season.

Considering how the team performs regularly, Hocevar feels that even if they do manage to catch some momentum, they might have to stay dependent on others’ performances.

“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.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the championship format has caught Spire Motorsports in a fragile state as of now. However, it is also true that the team struggled to win a race last year, so working on more consistent performances instead of focusing on race wins could be their path to success.

But Carson Hocevar definitely needs those wins. As Dale Jr. noted, it will only be a few visits to victory lane that can get him the big three’s attention in the field.