HAMPTON, Ga. — For the second consecutive year, Carson Hocevar found himself in a similar position at EchoPark Speedway, entering overtime in third place but ultimately falling short of Victory Lane. The 23-year-old Spire Motorsports driver finished fourth in Sunday’s Autotrader 400 after challenging for the lead during a tense double-overtime finish, reflecting the highs and lows of his efforts to secure his first NASCAR Cup Series win.
Race Details Highlight Hocevar’s Determined but Flawed Performance
Hocevar began the crucial restart just behind pole-sitter Christopher Bell, with Chevrolet teammates close behind. He immediately attempted an aggressive move on the leaders exiting the quad-oval, squeezing between Bell and Bubba Wallace to take the lead but instead causing Bell to crash hard into the outer retaining wall. Despite losing the lead, Hocevar managed to regain a front-row restart just a few laps later.
“I haven’t seen it, so I’m gonna keep my mouth shut till I see a replay,”
Bell said.
The decisive moment was fueled by the assistance of a push from Ross Chastain, giving Hocevar the momentum to make a daring bid for the win—mirroring a similar close loss to Bell during last spring’s race at the same 1.54-mile track.
“I mean, I fit a car in there. I got such a big run and he kind of opened it, and as I got there, I felt like there was a hole. But I got there so fast that I’m sure it was by all means closed by the time I got there. So yeah, I mean, I don’t mean to tear them up obviously, but at the same time, I felt like that move was probably gonna win us the race last year, and it just happened to be the same car.”
Hocevar said.
“I felt like if I got an opportunity, I was gonna shoot for it. And I felt like with the push that Ross gave me, there was a shot there.”
Mixed Reactions to Aggressive Racing Style
Hocevar’s driving drew both praise and criticism, highlighting his blend of boldness and occasional overaggressiveness. His race featured close encounters not only with Bell but also with other top drivers like Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney. For example, he admitted to having caused some frustration for Blaney by running both of them into the wall during intense battles on the track.
“I feel like I’ve done a good job. You know, I was sitting there riding around for a while and biding my time and felt like I’ve been more patient but more precise. I know Blaney was kind of mad at me because my stuff was really tight, so I do owe him an apology at some point because I think I ran us both in the wall. But I think I’m pretty pleased.”
Hocevar said.
Improvement Evident Compared to Previous Week
Despite the disappointment of missing out on a victory, Hocevar acknowledged significant progress compared to his recent Daytona 500 experience. There, he had led late in the race before losing position after a crash caused by a last-minute block. His fourth-place finish at EchoPark marked a positive rebound and showed his ability to recover when challenged.
“We finished single digits, top five,”
Hocevar said.
“Better result than last week, so excited about that. Came from two laps down and knocked around a little bit to finish fourth, so happy about that.”
Strong Team Efforts and Points Standings
Earlier in the weekend, Hocevar demonstrated excellent teamwork during Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, aiding Kyle Busch to victory in a Spire Motorsports 1-2 finish. This supportive role contrasted with the tight battles on Sunday but reinforced Hocevar’s growing maturity and strategic approach. His careful patience and calculated aggression on Sunday produced a solid points finish, placing him fourth in the Cup standings, trailing leader Tyler Reddick by 51 points after two races.
Looking Ahead: Next Race at Circuit of The Americas
With the team poised to build on recent performances, Hocevar and Spire Motorsports prepare for the upcoming Cup Series race at Circuit of The Americas next Sunday. Continuing to balance aggression with patience will be crucial as Hocevar pursues his first series win, seeking to capitalize on momentum gained despite last weekend’s near misses.
Christopher Bell on the contact in the first overtime with Hocevar: @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/WZ2I9TN1gW
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 23, 2026
