Carson Hocevar spills the truth behind his viral Chili’s purchase prank

NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN BET - Qualifying - Source: Getty
Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Delaware Life Chevrolet, enters his car during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN BET at Kansas Speedway on September 27, 2025 - Source: Getty

NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar reportedly bought the Chili’s outlet in his hometown of Portage, Michigan. He even posted about it on Facebook, urging his fans to grab a bite.

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However, on arriving at Charlotte Motor Speedway ahead of this Sunday’s playoff race, Hocevar revealed exactly what had happened. Well, it seems like the driver did not purchase the property after all.

In his words, it was just a way to fight clickbait with another clickbait. Explaining it further, the 22-year-old speedster told the reporters,

“In Portage, some radio station made a clickbait thing about the Chili’s shutting down. They asked me if I would promote it that it’s not closed and I was like, can’t I just say bought until the first payment hits? They loved it so you know, that’s kind of how you fight fire with fire nowadays."
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Hocevar is currently in his sophomore season driving the No. 77 Chevy Camaro for Spire Motorsports. His most recent win came in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Kansas in May 2025. However, the young racing phenom has yet to log his maiden Cup Series victory.

Although not in the playoff picture, Hocevar can still compete for his career-first Cup Series triumph. 31 races into the season, the former Winchester 400 winner has amassed two top-fives and eight top-10s besides 116 laps led. He sits 22nd in the driver standings with 625 points to his name.

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Hocevar’s upcoming race, the Bank of America ROVAL 400, will be covered by USA on Sunday, October 5 (3 pm ET onwards). Fans can also listen to live radio updates on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.


Carson Hocevar handed a $50,000 fine by NASCAR at Kansas Speedway

Carson Hocevar was slapped with a $50,000 fine for his actions during last week’s Cup Series event at Kansas Speedway. It all happened on Lap 260 when Hocevar’s No. 77 car spun out on the backstretch, blowing several tires.

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Needless to say, NASCAR brought out the yellow, and safety personnel were assigned to Hocevar’s car. As the workers reached the vicinity, Hocevar revved his engine and spun his wheels in an attempt to rejoin the field. That, according to the sanctioning body, violated NASCAR’s member conduct rule.

Renowned journalist Bob Pockrass reported the incident through one of his recent posts on X.

“NASCAR has fined Carson Hocevar $50,000 for what NASCAR termed as a behavioral infraction,” Pockrass wrote. “After he spun and came to a stop at Kansas and safety workers had gotten to his car, he revved and spun his tires as he tried to rejoin the field.”

Carson Hocevar was running 13th at the time of the fiasco. He ultimately finished the race 29th, four laps down. Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott won the race, marking his second victory of the 2025 season.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua
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