NASCAR Cup driver went from last-to-fourth within the 2026 Goodyear 400 at Darlington on March 22. It was one other massive step for the quickly evolving staff.
The staff, based in 2018 by Jeff Dickerson and T.J. Puchyr, has made its most important enchancment since Hocevar joined in 2024, driving the
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“For us it has been engaged on three years of notes, engaged on what we wish within the race staff,” Hocevar mentioned. “We form of had a clean canvas in ’24. We had a couple of good runs, however the good runs have been like operating from eighth to tenth. Final yr we legitimately had a handful of pictures to win races. This yr we have had pictures to be up entrance and contend for wins and we’re simply getting going this yr.”
Hocevar shall be within the Prepare dinner Out 400 on March 26 (2:30 p.m., FS1) at Martinsville Speedway.
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Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace in NASCAR Darlington race
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – MARCH 22: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Xfinity Toyota, leads the sphere to the inexperienced flag to begin the NASCAR Cup Collection Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on March 22, 2026 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photograph by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Pictures)
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Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace in NASCAR Darlington race
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – MARCH 22: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Xfinity Toyota, leads the sphere to the inexperienced flag to begin the NASCAR Cup Collection Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on March 22, 2026 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photograph by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Pictures)
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Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace in NASCAR Darlington race
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – MARCH 22: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Xfinity Toyota, and Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 Columbia Toyota, lead the sphere on a tempo lap previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on March 22, 2026 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photograph by David Jensen/Getty Pictures)
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Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace in NASCAR Darlington race
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – MARCH 22: Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 Columbia Toyota, and Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Xfinity Toyota, lead the sphere on a tempo lap previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on March 22, 2026 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photograph by David Jensen/Getty Pictures)
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Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace in NASCAR Darlington race
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – MARCH 22: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Xfinity Toyota, and Bubba Wallace, driver of the #23 Columbia Toyota, lead the sphere on a tempo lap previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on March 22, 2026 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photograph by David Jensen/Getty Pictures)
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Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace in NASCAR Darlington race
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – MARCH 22: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Xfinity Toyota, leads the sphere to the inexperienced flag to begin the NASCAR Cup Collection Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on March 22, 2026 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photograph by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Pictures)
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Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace in NASCAR Darlington race
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – MARCH 22: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Xfinity Toyota, leads the sphere to the inexperienced flag to begin the NASCAR Cup Collection Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on March 22, 2026 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photograph by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Pictures)
STENHOUSE JR. AND HOCEVAR ARGUE:
Carson Hocevar nonetheless would not have buddies in NASCAR
Hocevar instructed Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the in the summertime of 2025 that he has no buddies within the NASCAR Cup Collection, O’Reilly Auto Elements Collection, or Craftsman Truck Collection.
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As he has progressed and turn out to be extra distinguished within the Cup Collection since then, Hocevar was not too long ago requested once more whether or not he has made any buddies within the sport.
He has not.
“Inside the storage, I simply form of take pleasure in having (different drivers) be rivals,” Hocevar mentioned. “I’ve my good friend group. Actually, I simply suppose it is wholesome that inside your good friend group you are not doing all the identical issues, identical stuff. They’re simply buddies that watch the races or solely watch the races as a result of I am in it.”
Consistency has been key for Carson Hocevar at Spire
The fourth-place end was the second of the 2026 Cup season for Hocevar, 23. He was additionally fourth at Atlanta on Feb. 22.
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The closest he is come to successful was in 2025 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 1, when he was runner-up to Ryan Blaney, and at Atlanta on Feb. 23, when he was additionally second. He received the non-points 2025 Cup Collection All-Star Open Race at North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
Hocevar mentioned the important thing to the strides he is made with Spire is the sport plan the staff has caught to since he was the NASCAR Cup Collection Rookie of the 12 months in 2024.
“There hasn’t been any turnover on the 77 automotive since my rookie yr,” Hocevar mentioned. “We have had the identical individuals after I first walked into the constructing as I stroll in now. I feel that is been vital to proceed to construct.”
The Portage, Michigan, native was a four-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection race winner for Niece Motorsports earlier than becoming a member of Spire. He received one other truck race in 2025 at Kansas Speedway with Spire.
DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – MARCH 22: Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Chili’s Marg Machine Chevrolet, waits backstage throughout pre-race ceremonies previous to the NASCAR Cup Collection Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on March 22, 2026 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photograph by David Jensen/Getty Pictures)
How Carson Hocevar mentioned Daniel Suarez has helped Spire Motorsports
Daniel Suarez, who left Trackhouse Racing after the 2025 season, joined Hocevar and Michael McDowell for the 2026 season at Spire. Suarez has bolstered the staff, posting 4 top-20 finishes in six races in comparison with 2025 when he had two top-20s together with two outdoors the top-30.
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Hocevar is at the moment thirteenth and Suarez is 14th within the 2026 Cup factors standings with McDowell at seventeenth.
“For Daniel it has been good for the (No.) 7 automotive,” Hocevar mentioned. “When a automotive struggles, it tends to be a distraction at occasions and it tends to be a factor the place (the staff) has to deviate from setups and concepts and simply form of halt the path of the three automobiles moving into ahead progress. It tends to ship them on an island. With them operating effectively and Daniel doing a superb job, that is eradicated that distraction that is been there the final two years.”
Suarez changed Justin Haley, who struggled with pace at occasions within the No. 7 automotive in 2025 and had solely two top-10 finishes.
