A Milestone in the Making
Carson Hocevar is gearing up for the 100th start of his NASCAR Cup Series career, a milestone that arrives as he prepares for the second round of the In‑Season Challenge against Todd Gilliland at Chicagoland Speedway.
The Spire Motorsports driver, who captured his first victory at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, says the achievement feels more like a checkpoint than a pressure point. “I’m just trying to enjoy the races,” Hocevar remarked, emphasizing that the win has already taken some of the weight off the upcoming benchmark.
During Friday’s practice session, Hocevar posted the ninth‑fastest lap, trailing only Gilliland, who set the pace. The on‑track battle underscores the competitive nature of the series as teams fine‑tune setups ahead of the weekend’s action.
Hocevar’s campaign is backed by Chevrolet, a partnership that ties his No. 77 entry to a brand with deep roots in American motorsport. The collaboration adds a layer of corporate visibility to a season that also sees the driver navigating a packed schedule across multiple tracks, including the historic Sonoma Raceway in California.
The In‑Season Challenge format pits drivers against one another in a points‑based showdown, and Hocevar’s focus remains on staying out of the spotlight’s glare while letting his performance speak for itself. With a win already in the books and a century of starts on the horizon, the Michigan native is poised to add another chapter to his racing story.