Carson Hocevar cannot wait to to bop at Bristol in Sunday’s Food City 500 from the ninth position. (Photo: Sydney Redden | The Podium Finish)
BRISTOL, Tenn. — After a strong start in the 2025 season’s first three races, Carson Hocevar was 15th in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings with the momentum from last year carrying over for his No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team.
Since the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Del Valle, Texas, Hocevar has finished 30th or worse in four of the past five races. Dropping to 30th in the standings, the native of Portage, Michigan, seeks some solace at Bristol Motor Speedway, the final race before Easter weekend with the season’s only hiatus.
While some drivers may dread taking on the high banks of the 0.533-mile short track, Hocevar licks his chops with taking on the concrete beast. In three career starts at this venue, the 22-year-old racer has two top 20s including an 11th in the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Night Race.
Although the sophomore sensation may ruffle feathers on race days with his tenacious driving, it serves him well in stock car’s premier division. That scrappy style may be needed in a race that may be a tire conservation tussle like last year’s Food City 500.
Saturday’s on track sessions offered a potential glimpse into Sunday’s 500-lap showdown. Hocevar posted the 25th fastest overall time but seventh quickest overall in a 10-lap consecutive average run, a telltale sign that he and his team may be prepping for a long run to preserve those precious Goodyear tires.
Make no mistake that Hocevar has strong short run pace as he starts ninth in the field of 39. Maybe the colors of the No. 77 Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente Chevrolet provided some inspiration for the personable racer who enjoys dining at this establishment.
Carson Hocevar may have a stellar No. 77 Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente Chevrolet for Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. (Photo: Holden Barnes | The Podium Finish)
“I’m really excited to finally get to drive the Chili’s car,” Hocevar said in a team press release. “They came up with a great campaign for this year and the firesuit and car design all fit together so well.
“I’m a big Chili’s fan and it’s always fun to be able to partner with companies that you have a natural connection to. They do a great job promoting the restaurant and menu items, and I’ve enjoyed getting to be part of that this year.”
Besides enjoying the Brinker International restaurant and brand, Hocevar loves racing at Bristol. It is the kind of track that emphatically speaks to his driving style with the added element of tire conservation.
“I think first off, just the look of the track,” Hocevar observed. “When you’re walking in, it’s a little intimidating. The track sits down inside the ‘stadium’ surrounded by seats and then you see the banking. Every track we go to, you see hard racing at some point, but at Bristol it starts on Lap 1. You have to be reasonably aggressive from the start and do your best to get track position or keep it.”
Carson Hocevar showcased strong long run pace ahead of Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. (Photo: Wayne Riegle | The Podium Finish)
This may be the place where Hocevar, crew chief Luke Lambert and the Spire gang flip the script with their season. Given the pace of the No. 77 Chevrolet and confidence exuding from Hocevar, this is a combination to watch all afternoon long for a strong performance and finish at “The Last Great Colosseum.”
“Once you start to drift toward the back and lose a lap, it’s so difficult to get it back,” Hocevar stated. “But that’s why there is a lot of satisfaction in getting a win at Bristol. You work hard to get there and that’s why it’s top of the list for a lot of guys to want to win there.
“I would love for Bristol to be where things turn around for the No. 77 team. The guys work hard and we’ve had really fast cars, so hopefully this is the weekend it pays off and they get the ultimate reward. Then we can celebrate with Triple Dippers and Presidente Margaritas at Chili’s.”
Editor’s Notes
This article is dedicated to Carson Hocevar’s grandmother, Margaret, who passed away this past week. On behalf of the entire staff of The Podium Finish, we extend our condolences and thoughts to the Hocevar family.
