Last week, Carson Hocevar, who currently drives Spire Motorsports’ #77 Chevy in the NASCAR Cup Series, shared the heartbreaking news of his grandmother’s passing through a post on social media. Alongside the announcement, he posted a photograph from his childhood with his grandparents — one that appeared to be taken during a family trip to Disneyland.
Advertisement
In the photo, his grandmother is seen sporting Mickey Mouse ears and holding a matching cap, while a young Carson, wearing a black T-shirt, stood between his grandparents. Reflecting on the memory, Hocevar revealed that he had never seen that picture before and expressed how deeply it resonated with him.
He shared that while the family was going through his grandparents’ house, they stumbled upon a stack of old photographs — many of which had either slipped his memory or were entirely new to him. They sent the pictures to Hocevar the night before his press conference, prompting him to post them on social media as a way to preserve and honor her presence in his life.
Recalling the heartbreaking moment, Hocevar explained, “She fell when I was getting ready to qualify for Phoenix, and my grandpa called me. I didn’t know he knew how to use the phone, and my grandma fell getting the mail on the way to watch us qualify. I just know she won’t miss another qualifying session or watch another race. She was one of my biggest supporters.”
— Carson Hocevar (@CarsonHocevar) April 12, 2025
When asked if he recalled the moment the photo was taken, Carson Hocevar admitted that only a few memories from his childhood have stuck with him. However, speaking about that particular image, he said he distinctly remembers always wearing his Dale Jr. shirts back then. It was his go-to outfit, mainly because it resembled a race suit — a detail that made him feel connected to the sport.
He noted that the shirt closely mirrored the ones worn by today’s drivers. The photo, he explained, was taken during one of their many visits to Disneyland.
Eventually, those trips came to a halt. As Hocevar began his racing journey, he found himself at a crossroads — he could either visit Disney World or buy a new set of racing tires. The choice, though difficult, was clear. Still, he fondly looked back on that particular week, calling it an enjoyable trip — one captured in a photograph he hadn’t seen in years.
Hocevar’s goodbye to his grandmother
In addition to sharing a photo of her name — Margret Hocevar — Carson Hocevar posted an emotional moment from his grandmother’s final days, where he was seen holding her hand, capturing the weight of a goodbye that words often fail to convey.
In the caption of the post, Hocevar mentioned that after the race, he had made his way to Michigan to bid his final farewell and spoke about the memory his grandmother held closest to her heart.
Hocevar recalled that her favorite story dated back to the day he was born. As she cradled him for the first time, baby Carson spotted her gold necklace, clutched it tightly, and refused to let go. Reflecting on that moment, he wrote, “That monday i wish i didn’t have to let go, but glad i got to hold onto her one more time… i know she’s not only in better place, but now won’t have to miss anything as she’ll be watching above us.”
On the racing front, however, the season has been anything but smooth sailing for Hocevar. He currently sits in 30th place in the driver standings, with an average finish of 24.8 despite an average starting position of 18.5.
While he did manage to bag one top-five finish, his campaign has been marred by inconsistency — three DNFs in just the first eight races have kept him on the back foot.
