“More Races to Earn Respect Back”: Is Carson Hocevar Bothered by Criticism Around Aggressive Driving?

Carson Hocevar used to race full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2023 when he got the chance to participate in selected Cup Series races with Spire Motorsports and Legacy Motor Club.

Despite securing third place in the final Truck Series standings the same year, he faced criticism from both NASCAR Cup drivers and fans for ‘deliberately wrecking competitors’ and his aggressive tactics in the tier 3 series of the sport.

Addressing this, Hocevar, in an interview with Jeff Gluck from The Athletic, remarked, “I never was really worried about the criticism. The only time I would ever be worried is if my owner or my crew chief or my team were the ones saying it. As long as they have my back, there are always more races to change that narrative.”

Hocevar, while brushing off most of the criticism, hinted that the negative feedback might be getting under his skin, suggesting he yearns for the same recognition as top-tier drivers. He reflected, “There are more races to earn respect back. There are more races to grow and learn. If you’re making the same mistake multiple times, that’s when it’s like, “Oh s—. Maybe I need to look in the mirror.”

During his rookie Cup Series season in 2024, Hocevar didn’t make any headline-grabbing maneuvers but stuck to his initial strategy. Before his full-time Cup debut, he had set a modest goal to consistently finish in the top 20.

Staying true to his word and not pushing extremely for wins right out of the gate, he wrapped up the season P21 in the standings, with an average finish of 18.3. The performance put him ahead of his rookie counterparts- 107 points clear of Josh Berry in 27th place and 181 points ahead of Zane Smith, who finished 30th.

While there were flashes of Hocevar’s aggressive side from time to time during the year, especially when he spun Harrison Burton during a caution period at Nashville, the young 21-year-old mostly kept his nose clean.

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Hocevar shares his feelings after winning the Rookie of the Year title

Hocevar, after a full season of hard-fought battles and strategic plays, clinched the Rookie of the Year award in this year. Expressing his contentment to Kelly Crandall from Racer.com, Hocevar reflected,

“Obviously it’s a big deal. It’s the only thing we thought we could win this year. But realistically the best thing for us to have won or have a shot to win the Rookie of the Year. We had a really good shot to do that and were able to get the best Spire points finish. I think that for me personally, it meant a lot for me to do that.”

With Michael McDowell set to take the wheel of the #71 Spire Motorsports entry next season, Hocevar will remain with the #77. Heading into his second year as a Cup Series competitor, it’s up in the air whether he’ll maintain his aggressive edge from the Truck Series or if a more measured approach will earn him respect amongst his peers.