In 2022, Carson Hocevar’s racing dreams hit a roadblock, literally, when a broken tibia in his ankle sent him under the surgeon’s knife after a crash at World Wide Technology Raceway. With three years in the truck series and no wins to his name, the future looked murky for the No. 42 Niece Motorsports driver. Fast forward to 2023, and Hocevar’s fortune did a 180.

He emerged as a championship contender in the truck series, notching an impressive three victories and securing ten top-5 finishes. It was the season of his life, and the 20-year-old’s career trajectory suddenly shot skyward. And if that wasn’t enough, he then got a golden ticket to NASCAR’s upper echelons.

Over the next six races in the cockpit of a Cup car for Legacy Motor Club, Hocevar delivered an impressive performance catching headlines left, right, and center. It was the stepping stone he needed to secure a full-time seat in the Cup Series, with today marking the moment when ink met paper on a multi-year contract. The young gun was ready for the big leagues, and come 2024, a full-time entry into the Cup Series awaits him.

Carson Hocevar’s formula for turning lousy laps into happy trails

Hocevar is about to embark on an adventure that most would only dream of. The No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, previously helmed by Ty Dillon, will be in the 20-year-old’s capable hands come 2024.

The Hocevar-Spire Motorsports connection was forged earlier this year. The tale began with a DNF but evolved into something promising. An 11th-place finish in Bristol behind the wheel for Legacy Motor Club marked his best-ever finish in a Cup race. However, his most recent run at the YellaWood 500 ended in heartbreak after a collision with the seasoned Brad Keselowski led to a multi-car pileup, leaving fans to wonder what could have been for this rookie sensation.

In a recent chat with NASCAR reporter Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, Hocevar served up a slice of life wisdom. When asked how he deals with the blues following a rough day– guessing he might’ve needed this wisdom post-Talladega – Hocevar’s response was like a breath of fresh air in a smoky racetrack.

Hocevar’s philosophy is refreshingly upbeat, as he declared, “I try not to have crappy days. That’s the whole goal: Just wake up and not be sad. I’ve been lucky enough that I don’t have childhood trauma, I don’t have a lot of bad things going on in my life. I’m very thankful I have good things and there’s not a lot to be upset about.”

Even in the relentless world of racing, where the scoreboard often dictates emotions, Hocevar’s mindset stays strong. He’s ditched the whole results-obsessed attitude. It’s not about winning or losing; it’s about having the most fun possible. “If we ran bad or had an accident, instantly you just felt bad for the next two or three days. That s*cked. So I just started figuring out I should have the most fun possible, and that’s all I care about.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Denny Hamlin Ashamed By Nascars Broken Hof As Jimmie Johnson Suffers Jeff Gordon Disgrace

Hocevar’s secret sauce for bouncing back from a tough race is simple: Make every moment on the track a joyful ride and let the results be the icing on the racing cake. In his words, “If the results are the bonus, then I’ll enjoy the weekends more and be excited for them.”

The racing prodigy’s meteoric ascent in NASCAR

Trending

“My Body Needed Time”: Tony Stewart’s Wife, Leah, Discloses Her Roadblocks to Motherhood Amid Racing Dilemma

NASCAR Insider Urges Rick Hendrick to Rope In ‘Next Kyle Larson’ After $100,000 Win

Joe Gibbs Racing Potentially Blocking Truck Series Phenom on Denny Hamlin’s Radar After On-Track Bad Blood

Trackhouse Racing’s Drastic Downfall to Potentially Get Worse With One of Their Founding Fathers Leaving Mid-Season

Dale Earnhardt Jr Pressures NASCAR to Punish Drivers ‘Crossing the Line’, Salutes SVG’s Racing Morals

Carson’s NASCAR journey reads like a page-turner. Transitioning from the Truck Series to the Cup Series, his rapid ascent in the world of NASCAR is nothing short of impressive. With a mere six starts, he’s already bagged four top-20 finishes, a streak that was broken at Talladega superspeedway.

With the upcoming season on the horizon, the spotlight fell squarely on the Michigan native. But it wasn’t just fans and pundits singing his praises; even the bigwig at Spire Motorsports, Jeff Dickerson, threw his considerable weight behind the rising star.

In a statement, Dickerson hailed Hocevar as a “proven winner” and an unrivaled talent, drawing comparisons to NASCAR’s luminaries. He said, “He’s an undeniable talent and reminds me a lot of a young Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski.”

The co-owner of Spire emphasized Hocevar’s knack for extracting every ounce of performance from his vehicles, a testament to his unwavering desire on the track. As Dickerson put it, “Carson has driven the wheels off everything he’s ever raced and done more with less on multiple occasions.”

It’s not just the race fans who are placing their bets on Hocevar’s success, it’s also the industry veterans who recognize a future legend in the making as the upcoming season promises to be a thrilling chapter in Hocevar’s racing odyssey.

Read More: Spire Motorsports Steals Jimmie Johnson’s LMC Prospect Days After Seizing Kyle Busch’s Prized Possession