Carson Hocevar will take the wheel of his No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) with the same objective he has held for the past 83 NASCAR Cup Series starts: to finally secure his first victory. Despite his evident skill, the lengthy gap without a win could understandably cause frustration for a driver of his caliber.
Questions have arisen about whether this ongoing winless stretch impacts his mindset. Before the third race of the 2026 season at COTA, Hocevar addressed these concerns, focusing instead on the collective progress of his Spire Motorsports team rather than individual disappointment.
Building Momentum Within a Growing Team
Hocevar explained that teams outside the dominant “big three” strive to follow Spire’s example.
“I think every team that’s not the big three teams that are basically dominating, they’re all trying to emulate Spires’ progression. You saw 23XI, they’re super successful. Trackhouse Racing is super successful. But now, we’re on that,”
he stated.
He acknowledged the difficulty of executing long-term plans amidst fierce competition.
“It’s a lot easier to say it and say you have a five-year plan, but it’s really hard to actually pull it off because when we get faster, the big teams see it and they want to get faster,”
Hocevar added. This ongoing cycle keeps all teams pushing limits, raising the level consistently.
The Spire team continues to enhance its personnel and race strategies to vie for top finishes every weekend. Hocevar remarked on this challenge by saying
“the floor is rising higher than the ceiling,”
highlighting how the overall competitiveness is intensifying.
While he admitted that the second full season with Spire Motorsports, in 2025, carried expectations of already having a victory, he remains encouraged by recent performances. At both Daytona and Atlanta, Hocevar had strong cars and was positioned for wins before unfortunate incidents prevented those outcomes.
Growing Confidence Amid Setbacks
Despite the setbacks, Hocevar is entering the peak phase of his career. Respected veterans including Steve Letarte and Kyle Petty have voiced significant confidence in his abilities, even drawing comparisons to legends like Dale Earnhardt and Tim Richmond. Hocevar possesses the talents necessary for a superstar driver, with on-track aggression being the one attribute some say needs refinement.
Hocevar views this aggressive style positively, considering it part of his racing identity rather than a drawback, and the outlook within his camp remains optimistic.
“I think we’re still really early here a little bit. I think we can do it. There were times where I felt like we were in impossible positions, and there were things I couldn’t do from behind the seat that took us out of contention. I think the track record so far this year of being up front in every race is holding a lot of weight for us and our confidence,”
he shared.
Hocevar will start the COTA race from 12th place on the grid, aiming to convert his strong season form into the breakthrough win that has eluded him so far.
The ongoing battle to break through has larger implications for both Hocevar and Spire Motorsports as they seek to disrupt the dominance of NASCAR’s established powerhouses. Continued progress and consistency could elevate the team’s status, while a first victory would validate the long-term development strategies embraced by Hocevar and his crew. The coming races will be crucial in determining if this promising trajectory results in the long-awaited triumph.
