Stock car racing is a sport steeped in tradition. It’s rare when some young’n storms onto the scene and garners instant respect from old school drivers and fans.
And when that young’in has as big a personality as Carson Hocevar (pronounced “Ho-Sa-Var”), it takes even longer for the old guard to adjust.
Hocevar, who is just 23 years old, has described himself as a “NASCAR Driver and Part Time YouTuber.” He says audacious things, and races with an outlandish style that bothers senior drivers and traditional fans.
Who is Carson Hocevar?
Hocevar is the driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup series. Now in his third season of the NASCAR Cup series, he grabbed his first career Cup series win on April 26, 2026 at the famed Talladega Superspeedway.
Hocevar grew up in Portage, Michigan and was raised by his parents, Scott and Amy. Scott and Amy were initially told they could not conceive children, but Carson came along 11 years after they were married.
Hocevar’s parents own “Scott’s Sports Cards, Coins & Jewelry” in Portage.
It is not entirely known how Hocevar became so obsessed with racing as his parents were never into the sport. According to NASCAR.com, when Carson was 3-years-old his parents took him to a 2006 World Series game between the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals. The Hocevars watched the game from a Comerica Park suite, but Carson ignored the action on the field. He was too busy playing with his toy cars.
Carson’s obsession with cars continued through his youth, and his parents eventually embraced his passion. In the early 2010s, Amy opened Little Kalamazoo Speedway, a tiny racetrack for youth drivers.
It was at Little Kalamazoo where Carson spent countless hours behind the wheel.
What is so controversial about Carson Hocevar?
The young driver has been dubbed “Hurricane Hocevar” due to his aggressive driving style and brash personality.
During a July 12 appearance on the NASCAR pre-race show, Hocevar was asked whether his personality and driving style would ultimately hurt him on the track, and was also asked to comment about a perceived lack of respect from other drivers on the circuit.
“I’m just growing with this thing, you know; I’ll be able to know that when that day comes,” Hocevar said. “But at the same time, they can all stand up to the plate and bring it on. You know what I mean? And, I don’t know if anybody really wants to get in that war.
“So, I’m probably taking advantage of it right now. And tomorrow I might think differently, or a year from now or two. I’m not really ready to answer that yet.
“I just know where I’m at today. It’s tough to fight somebody when they don’t got anything to lose.
“That’s not like a threat or a taunt. I don’t want to get in car wars. But, I love racing really hard.”
Former NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace is a big fan of Hocevar but also says it’s undeniable that Hocevar is rubbing people the wrong way.
“There is an ever-growing problem in the garage area [with Hocever],” Wallace said on the Herm & Schrader podcast this past week. “The drivers do not like his style. Carson is feeling the wrath of these drivers right now because they don’t like his style.”
Some viewed Hocevar’s Talladega victory celebration as over-the-top, as he climbed out of the driver’s seat and drove down the frontstretch while sitting on the door with his helmet off. He took the steering wheel off, dropped the clutch, and put the wheel back on so the car could idle slowly.
Others viewed the victory lap as unique and awesome. In fact, NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell called it the “coolest celebration” he had ever seen.
Hocevar has often drawn comparisons to famed race car driver Dale Earnhardt Sr., due to his highly-aggressive driving style.
“I’m just driving how I want to drive. I don’t really love comparisons,” Hocevar said. “It started by not apologizing after running into people. But I’m just me. I like being me … and it’s a lot easier for everyone that way. I don’t like to have to be anybody I’m not.”
Getting to know “Hurricane Hocevar”
- Hocevar is the tallest active driver in NASCAR, standing at 6-foot-5.
- He is currently dating stock car racing driver Holley Hollan.
- Hocevar’s dad, Scott, is on the board of directors for Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter’s foundation. Scott Hocever has known Jeter for many years, as the former Yankees great grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, which is just a few miles from Hocevar’s hometown of Portage, Michigan.
- Hocevar attended this year’s Met Gala in New York City. He was the first NASCAR driver to attend since Jeff Gordon in 2008.
- The “Hurricane” is a big fan of Sabrina Carpenter. To get himself pumped up for the Talladega race, Hocevar said he listened to her hit song, “Juno.”
- One of the big sponsors for Hocevar’s No. 77 car is Chili’s. After winning at Talladega, Hocevar’s team celebrated at Chili’s until 2:30 in the morning. Hocevar ordered his signature “Triple Dipper” as his victory meal.
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