In a short span of time in the NASCAR Cup Series, Carson Hocevar has made a name for himself, sometimes for his runner-up finishes, sometimes for his unapologetic style that’s drawn comparisons to Dale Earnhardt, and many times for his aggressive on-track moves regardless of which driver he’s racing. But long before he tangled with the sport’s heavyweights, he carried the same edge in the Truck Series.
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Hocevar bypassed the traditional ladder, jumping straight from Trucks to a full-time Cup ride without the usual stop in Xfinity. That leap came with growing pains. Reflecting on the toughest stretch of his young career, he recalled the storm he stirred in the 2023 Truck finale at Phoenix with Corey Heim.
On Jeff Gluck’s 12 Questions segment, Hocevar admitted, “End of 2023 into 2024. Phoenix was not great [when he spun Corey Heim in the Truck Series championship race and caught heat from many corners of the garage]. Then I had to run the Cup car on Sunday and walk into the garage embarrassed after every Cup driver talked sh*t and were probably thinking, ‘How the f*ck are you driving this deal?’
He added, “The biggest thing was taking that and going through the offseason and then learning how to Cup race [in his rookie season last year]. Just balancing racing every weekend and not getting lost… It just felt like my whole personality was how I did last Sunday. I didn’t have a good balance. I’d fall out with people left and right. I was tough to be around.”
Over time, the Spire Motorsports driver insisted, he’s learned to strike that balance and approach the grind with a steadier head. But the Phoenix (Truck) clash remains one of the defining flashpoints of his early career. Both Heim and Hocevar had entered the 2023 Craftsman Truck Series Championship as favorites, yet neither left with the trophy.
With the title on the line, Heim slipped past Hocevar on Lap 118 to lead among the Championship 4. Two laps later, Hocevar clipped Heim’s left-rear quarter panel, sending both Heim and Stewart Friesen spinning through Turns 1 and 2.
The fireworks didn’t stop there. With three laps to go, Hocevar made a move to Heim’s outside through Turn 2. Heim drifted right, the trucks collided, and both slammed into the wall, collecting Taylor Gray in the process.
Heim led 47 laps, second-most in the race. Hocevar, despite a season-high four wins, led none that night. Heim’s three wins and strong run at Phoenix ended the same way Hocevar’s did, with a wrecked truck and empty hands.
