NASCAR Insights: Carson Hocevar’s budding stardom on display at Michigan

It’s only a matter of time before Carson Hocevar takes the next step.

With a feather-ruffling racing style, the 22-year-old Spire Motorsports driver has taken the NASCAR Cup Series by storm, and while his 29th-place finish at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday might not look glamorous, the upside is astronomical.

Advertisement

“Absolutely, just a superstar when it comes to actual raw talent,” Michigan race winner Denny Hamlin said when discussing Hocevar. “When he figures out how to harness that, pick and choose the moments where he is aggressive, he’s going to put it all together and just be the next whoever. There’s five to six elite drivers in this field. He can be one of those five or six very easily when he puts it all together.

“He’s got all the tools to do it. He’s got all the pieces of the puzzle right in front of him. He has all the pieces. He’s not missing anything. It’s just when he figures out the riddle of how to put it together, he’s going to be a future star.”

RELATED: Michigan results | NASCAR Insights analysis explained

The metrics illustrated just what Hocevar is capable of, especially during Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan, his home track. According to NASCAR Insights, the 2024 Sunoco Rookie of the Year victor tallied the top-ranked Passer Rating and Pit Crew Rating. With a fast No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet (more on the speed momentarily), Hocevar’s aggression played well on the passing front, wheeling his way to top-10 finishes in Stages 1 and 2 (10th in Stage 1, third in Stage 2). When fuel strategy was factored into the equation, a top-notch pit crew made the No. 77 stand out that much more.

Advertisement

The statistical success didn’t end there. With a third-ranked Defense Rating and seventh-best Restart Rating, Hocevar not only defended his top-10 track position but reclaimed it following competition yellows, especially during the race’s latter portion when fuel conservation became crucial.

A third-ranked Speed Rating, however, might be most impressive, with Hocevar capitalizing on clean air and leading 32 laps during the race’s final stage. While a left-rear tire issue caused Hocevar to falter with 19 laps to go, the overall performance cannot be overstated.

Two top fives, three top 10s, one pole and 70 laps led already in 2025, the sophomore driver has put the Cup Series on notice, and while the results haven’t yielded a race win yet, it’s just a matter of when for the rising star.

MORE: Carson Hocevar driver page

“You can’t run as fast as he’s running, being up front as much as he’s up front, without eventually winning,” Hamlin said. “I know that panic sometimes can set in. It’s like, God, we lost this opportunity. But he’s with a team that is on the rise. He is on the rise. It’s just a matter of time. None of us would be shocked if it’s next week or a month from now or whenever it is.”

Advertisement

Other notables from Sunday:

— A sixth-ranked Defense Rating, coupled with the 10th-best Restart Rating, helped net Zane Smith his second top 10 of 2025.

— Despite starting from the rear, Tyler Reddick’s second-ranked Restart Rating helped salvage a 13th-place finish.

— William Byron, who ran out of fuel coming to the white flag, ranked first or second in four of the five categories.