TALLADEGA, Ala. — Five months after scoring the first NASCAR Cup Series victory of his career, Carson Hocevar says life has changed, but not necessarily in the ways many would expect.
Returning to Talladega Superspeedway as the defending race winner, the Spire Motorsports driver reflected on how the breakthrough victory elevated his profile both inside and outside the garage.
“My life hasn’t been the same, but it’s just more fun,” Hocevar said.
The biggest change, according to Hocevar, is carrying the title of NASCAR Cup Series winner.
“Whether you have one or a hundred, they’re just gonna say Cup Series winner,” Hocevar said. “That’s a really cool title I’ll have for the rest of my life.”
The victory also brought increased attention from fans. Hocevar joked that crowds are larger, he’s recognized in more places and he’s even noticed a growing female fan base. Unlike some drivers, he welcomes every bit of it.
“I greatly appreciate it and look forward to it,” he said. “That’s what a driver should be and that’s what the sport should be.”
On the track, Hocevar believes he has emerged as one of the sport’s strongest superspeedway racers. He has contended for victories at Talladega, Daytona and Atlanta throughout the season and credits much of that success to instinct rather than data analysis.
“For me, I don’t think I ever watched a single lap of data from a superspeedway race ever,” Hocevar said. “It’s just all adaptive for me.”
With another drafting track race ahead, Hocevar isn’t feeling championship pressure. Instead, he’s focused on enjoying the moment and continuing to build experience.
“When there’s no expectations, there’s no pressure,” he said.
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