Carson Hocevar has packed a variety of achievements into just 22 years, but his rise never rested on talent alone. His path was built on long hours, sacrifice, and the steady footing his parents created long before he became a familiar name in NASCAR circles. As a way to repay his father, Hocevar gifted him a brand-new Chevrolet Truck.
Even though his parents were never particularly drawn to racing, Scott Hocevar noticed early on that his son gravitated toward anything with speed. As Carson’s interest accelerated from midget cars to Late Models, the financial demands followed suit.
The family needed a hefty boost to keep pace with the rising costs, yet Scott refused to blink. He took on extra hours at the sports memorabilia, coin, and jewelry shop he ran in Portage, often working late and missing races while his wife shouldered most of the travel.
And Carson has always understood the weight of those sacrifices. He knows every mile his parents logged and every hour they put in made his racing dream possible. That’s why he recently handed his father a gesture that spoke louder than any victory lane celebration.
In a video shared by NASCAR, as a part of their “RISING” documentary, the young Spire Motorsports Cup driver called his parents over to unveil what he teased as his “new truck for 2026.” Sitting in front of them was a sleek black pickup.
Scott took one look at it and said, “Whoa, is that pretty,” before asking, almost cautiously, “This is gonna be yours then?” Carson answered with a simple, “Yeah.”
But once he placed the keys in his father’s hand, Scott’s confusion turned to disbelief. “It’s ours?” he asked. Carson corrected him: “It’s yours.” Scott pulled his son into an emotional hug, whispering, “Thank you!” as tears welled in his eyes.
Then came the classic parent line, delivered with equal parts pride and worry: “Oh, Carson, was this expensive?” Carson brushed it off with, “No, not really. I mean, it was, but no big deal.” Later, Scott reflected on the moment, saying there was never any need for repayment. Parents, he emphasized, simply do what they can for their kids.
Carson explained the gift with the same honesty he shows at the racetrack. “It’s pretty special. He has worked so many more hours, so much harder than I have ever worked in my life. And I have all these nice toys, trucks, and everything, but I have always wanted to make it and give my family everything.”
He added, “What I do is super-easy, what he did: he worked hard for me basically. I just get to drive a race car. I just show up and drive, and somehow lucky.”
Scott Hocevar remains deeply proud of his son, watching him chase goals the family once could barely dream of.