It seems to be a trend with Carson Hocevar. He shows up, turns heads, and somehow ends the day with a heartbreak. The Michigan race was no different. After starting mid-pack, Hocevar fought his way to the front and led an impressive 32 laps. For a moment, it looked like the local driver was about to reel in his long-awaited maiden win. But that is when the wrath of Lap 182 struck. A late-race flat tire crushed any hope of a Cinderella finish. But even after finishing 29th, his performance didn’t go unnoticed… especially when he’s out there beating Rick Hendrick’s best drivers.

Carson Hocevar’s name has been making the rounds in conversations about Hendrick Motorsports’ future, especially after his cryptic post on X, suggesting a Chili’s (his major sponsor) booth in the HMS office and being pictured with HMS employee Chad Knaus after his performance at Nashville. While nothing official has been said, Hocevar sent out a reminder to Rick Hendrick.

Carson Hocevar nearly upstages Hendrick’s stars

The No. 77 driver came into Michigan with nothing to lose and everything to prove. After the Coca-Cola 600 heartbreak and the Nashville runner-up redemption, Carson Hocevar’s maiden win is still overdue. However, he showed up on Sunday with a great attitude and serious speed at his home track in Michigan. By lap 156 of 200, Hocevar was leading the FireKeepers Casino 400 in a bold fuel gamble. After starting 14th, he had clawed his way to the front, leading seven laps and holding off none other than HMS driver William Byron. After receiving a message from his crew regarding fuel saving, it wasn’t just a race; it was a chess match.

As he paced ahead, HMS drivers William Byron and Kyle Larson loomed in his mirrors. Hocevar notched up the blistering best lap of 37.41 seconds and maintained an average position of 7.03 and spent 139 laps inside the top 10. More importantly, he had spent 63 of those in the top five, proving it wasn’t just a fluke run up its strategy magic; it was raw pace and spacecraft. After four pit stops, the last of which came just nine laps prior, Carson Hocevar was still holding steady against the field’s best.

However, that dreamy lap came to an end. The Spire Motorsports driver experienced a setback as he slowed down due to a flat left rear tire, forcing him to pit. Because of this incident, William Byron took the lead of the race at lap 182 before forfeiting his win to Denny Hamlin because of fuel gambles and finishing at 28th, with Carson Hocevar in 29th.

Carson Hocevar didn’t just survive Michigan; he beat expectations, too. While he didn’t land on the podium, he ran with the best and gave teams like Hendrick Motorsports something to think about. In the post-race interview with FrontStretch, Hocevar said, “We saw Mr. H [Rick Hendrick] earlier… We were outrunning two of Mr. H’s cars. And ultimately, that’s great for all of us [Spire Motorsports], to have all three up there. It’s just crazy. You step back in time—everyone likes to say six years, five years—but step back a year or two years to where this team was at all these places. I think that’s really the difference.” It was a subtle jab, but also a proud moment for Spire Motorsports.

Spire Motorsports has made massive strides in NASCAR over the last few years. From snapping up Carson Hocevar last year, leading to a Rookie of the Year victory, to getting veteran Michael McDowell to bolster their lineup in 2025, Spire looks solid. With backing from Hendrick Motorsports as a technical alliance, it’s no surprise that Hocevar is not shy of taking digs at them, as a future seat at HMS is definitely at the back of his mind.

In regards to bouncing back from bad finishes, like he did from Charlotte to Nashville, Carson Hocevar summed it up best, “You ask that like we haven’t had to do it every goddamn week. Well, you didn’t have to last week. Yeah, but I mean the week before we blew up. So I mean, we’re alternating here. I think we’re proving we can bounce back. I mean, I feel a little worse about bouncing back at a road course [Mexico City], right? But when we get to Pocono, I feel really good. So, yeah—I’m going to go to work on my road course craft this week and just try to get better.”

It is important to remember that there’s no official word on Carson’s next move, but if Michigan was an audition, he passed with flying colors. He is fast, unbothered by pressure, and clearly hungry for more. And if Rick Hendrick wasn’t watching closely from pit road, he should be.

Trending

1

Teresa Earnhardt Faces Huge Backlash After $2.23 Trillion Earnhardt Partner’s Exposè

2

Danica Patrick Reveals Her Relationship Status 3 Years After Her Last Insta Official Boyfriend

3

Rick Hendrick’s Prospect Speaks Out on Cup Drivers’ Unjustified Actions Months After Kyle Larson’s ‘Cocky’ Comments

4

NASCAR Announces Penalties for Cheating Cup Series Driver

5

What Happens if 23XI and Front Row Motorsports Lose Their NASCAR Charters?

Kyle Larson proves to be HMS’s saving grace at MIS

It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t dominant. But Kyle Larson did exactly what Hendrick Motorsports needed him to do. Starting fifth and finishing exactly where he began, Larson quietly stitched together a top-five run at Michigan International Speedway while chaos unfolded around him, and within his car. While William Byron ran out of fuel and Alex Bowman faded late, Larson kept his number five Chevrolet in striking distance all afternoon. He never led laps, but his consistency was gold for a Hendrick team that had every reason to panic by the closing laps.

Having collected four points by running seventh in stage one and not scoring any points in stage two, Larson had an uphill battle from the 12th position to 5th. He said, “Days like today aren’t the most fun, but they feel really good too… for a point of that last run, I thought we might have a shot to win. So it just says a lot about the team and how really strong we’ve stayed through some bits of adversity.” Meanwhile, Chase Elliott parked his No. 9 at 15 despite leading 19 laps of the race.

This day was not it for the Hendrick Motorsports camp. Carson Hocevar nearly stole the show while Kyle Larson quietly kept the Hendrick blue in the fight. If Michigan was a test of nerve, speed, and survival, both drivers passed, one with ball moves and the other with veteran control. And as silly season whispers grow louder, it’s clear that Hocevar’s name isn’t just conversation; it might be etched in ink before long