When he first got the call, Carson Hocevar couldn’t believe it. A year ago World Wide Technology Raceway was the site of a brutal accident for the young Craftsman Truck Series star. He suffered a broken right tibia in a last-lap crash that hampered …
When he first got the call, Carson Hocevar couldn’t believe it.
A year ago World Wide Technology Raceway was the site of a brutal accident for the young Craftsman Truck Series star. He suffered a broken right tibia in a last-lap crash that hampered him for weeks.
The track will be equally memorable for Hocevar in 2023, but this time in a positive way. Hocevar will be making his Cup Series debut in the Enjoy Illinois 300, piloting the No. 7 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports.
Spire’s normal lead driver, Corey LaJoie, is driving Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 9 Chevrolet in place of Chase Elliott, who’s been suspended one week for an intentional crash with Denny Hamlin in the Coca-Cola 600.
The organization was happy to let LaJoie take the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but it left the No. 7 team with an opening. Spire elected to fill it with Hocevar, who has two top 10s in as many starts for the company’s Xfinity Series program this year.
Hocevar got a call from Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson to discuss the move while in a competition meeting with Niece Motorsports on Tuesday. It went to his voicemail as he focused on his full-time team, but Hocevar rang Dickerson back afterward and was told of the plans. An announcement would come at 5 p.m. ET.
His response?
“Honestly, I just answered ‘No,’” he said. “’No. Really? Like, you serious?’
“In my mind, I was just trying not to oversell it and think it’s a done deal, (because) they weren’t sure where they were at.”
Hocevar spent the rest of the day anxiously waiting for the announcement and refreshing his phone “700 times” until 5 p.m. came, wanting to see his name get announced. When the time finally came, his dream came true.
The days since have been a bit of a blur. Spire tried to fit one of LaJoie’s Schluter Systems driving suits for Hocevar, but they didn’t fit the tall Michigander. He’ll be wearing his Xfinity Series drivers suit and use his Xfinity seat and insert for the race. Spire even had to tilt the No. 7 Chevrolet’s seat to allow Hocevar to see more in the cockpit.
The 20-year-old called fellow Truck competitor Zane Smith, who made his debut at the same track last year, to get advice about the opportunity. He also rang his dad to tell him the news, hopeful that he’ll be able to attend the race.
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“We have two puppies at home and he’s trying to figure out how he can (come),” Hocevar said. “They have a small little coin and jewelry shop and there’s only like four or five employees, so they’re trying to figure out how to close the store and (have) somebody watch the puppies so he can come. He doesn’t get to come a lot, and I really want him to go.”
In the past few days Hocevar’s participated in pit stop practice at Hendrick Motorsports, spent hours in the simulator and tried to learn the art of sequential shifting, while also going through the standard preparation for Saturday’s Truck race.
Learning to compete against Cup regulars isn’t easy – Hocevar joked that he had “about three days” to figure out “about two years worth of catching up.”
But the Chevrolet prospect does have one thing assisting with his learning curve — He’s spent the past year-and-a-half moonlighting as a simulator driver for Trackhouse Racing.
“I do a lot of the work when Ross (Chastain) and Daniel (Suarez) can’t get in,” he said. “So I’ve gotten to learn this car a lot. I’ve been in the sim and talking about how the car has progressed and the difference from start to finish. I really wanted to drive a car once, whether it was a wheel force test or something (else), just (because) I wanted to be able to give them (good feedback).
“I feel like I take my role seriously as a sim driver and want to be as good as I can. The first thing they texted me (after the announcement)…they’re like, ‘Man, you finally got your wish.’
“I’ve already sort of got a hint of what I’d like for the car to drive like, which I think is helping me a lot,” Hocevar later added. “I feel like it’s helped prepare me a lot. All the credit to Josh Wise to be able to put me in that role and let me do sim for Trackhouse. Huge thanks to Schluter Systems and Celsius too, to let me drive their race car. But I feel like I’m as prepared as I can be and not going into this really blind.”
Hocevar proved that initial confidence valid on Saturday, qualifying ahead of LaJoie and Spire teammate Ty Dillon in 26th, but he’s keeping his goals simplistic and attainable for the race.
Seeing the checkered flag with a clean car is all he wants from his Cup debut.
“I’m not running for points and I don’t have any other start scheduled,” he said. “I want to see a checkered flag and I’m hoping I’m on the lead lap. I want all four fenders on the race car. No tire marks. No rub marks.
“I just want to be able to finish the race and enjoy every second of it. How we shake up, you know, if it’s a top-15 day, if it’s a top-20 day, if it’s top-25 or I’m running 31st because Sunday is tough… Regardless of what the case may be, I want to run around those guys.
“If they come around to me and (say), ‘Man, I had a good time racing you and appreciate the help or appreciate you letting me go or giving your space…’ I think that will go (further) than if I try really hard to get them and make a mistake.”
