When 21-year-old Carson Hocevar began his debut Cup Series campaign this season the common expectation was that his teammate Corey LaJoie would serve as a mentor-figure for him. However, Hocevar has consistently stayed ahead of those expectations and secured better finishes than even the older driver. The most recent showing of his caliber was at Watkins Glen.
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Hocevar secured a career-best third-place finish followed by his fellow rookie teammate Zane Smith in fifth and LaJoie in eighth. The result was collectively the best in the history of Spire Motorsports as all three drivers together brought in 95 points. Never before has the team placed three drivers inside the top 10 and reaching this milestone is a big marker of how things are changing.
Spire is quickly transforming into a powerhouse in the Cup Series. Michael McDowell is set to enter the rings in 2025 along with the iconic crew chief Rodney Childers. With LaJoie and Smith out of the way, it will be up to Hocevar, McDowell, and a yet-to-confirmed driver (for the No. 7 Camaro) to write fresh history for the team. Rumors suggest that it will be Justin Haley who replaces LaJoie.
But regardless of who the third driver is, one has to admit that the team is in good hands with the young Hocevar. He is currently leading the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings with 526 points accumulated. Contender Josh Berry is at a distant second with 481 points. With a wealth of resources to back him, Hocevar is extremely likely to end up competing for wins every week next season.
The unfinished job that the Spire Motorsports drivers have
Hocevar, LaJoie, and Smith each have their own reasons to give it all in the remaining races of 2024. After an amazing display of speed in Watkins Glen, they now travel to race at Bristol. Spire has started 13 Cup Series races at the oval and secured one top-15 and four top-25 finishes as a team.
The drivers are in a perfect position for a breakthrough performance, riding on top of their recent successes. They’ve all displayed strong competitiveness in recent weeks and all they would need to do is couple this momentum with a clever strategy to tackle the track’s challenges.
Passing conditions will be particularly difficult during the night race and this would be a hurdle to overcome. Smith has faced mechanical issues in his car in the past and this indicates potential weaknesses in the team. It will serve all three drivers well if they can manage to repeat a result such as the one last weekend.
