TALLADEGA, Ala. \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy life hasn\u2019t been the same, but it\u2019s just more fun,\u201d Hocevar said.<\/p>\n
The biggest change, according to Hocevar, is carrying the title of NASCAR Cup Series winner.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether you have one or a hundred, they\u2019re just gonna say Cup Series winner,\u201d Hocevar said. \u201cThat\u2019s a really cool title I\u2019ll have for the rest of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
The victory also brought increased attention from fans. Hocevar joked that crowds are larger, he\u2019s recognized in more places and he\u2019s even noticed a growing female fan base. Unlike some drivers, he welcomes every bit of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI greatly appreciate it and look forward to it,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s what a driver should be and that\u2019s what the sport should be.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the track, Hocevar believes he has emerged as one of the sport\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, I don\u2019t think I ever watched a single lap of data from a superspeedway race ever,\u201d Hocevar said. \u201cIt\u2019s just all adaptive for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
With another drafting track race ahead, Hocevar isn\u2019t feeling championship pressure. Instead, he\u2019s focused on enjoying the moment and continuing to build experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen there\u2019s no expectations, there\u2019s no pressure,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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