“I was throwing them away, now, they’re getting taken away”: Carson Hocevar reflects on the gutting end to his weekend in Michigan

Carson Hocevar faced another frustrating finish to a points race this season, this time at Michigan International Speedway. Despite showing strong pace throughout the weekend, the young driver continued to battle a streak of bad luck.

Starting the FireKeepers Casino 400 from P14, Hocevar quickly worked his way into the top ten before the end of Stage 1. As the race progressed, the Spire Motorsports driver steadily climbed through the field, finishing Stage 2 in an impressive P3. In the final stage, Hocevar briefly held the lead, but misfortune struck again as the strategy employed by the #77 team failed to deliver.

Worse still, while leading the race, the #77 Chevrolet lost a tire, forcing Hocevar to make an untimely pit stop. He ultimately crossed the finish line in a disappointing P29. Speaking in a post-race interview, the 22-year-old shared his frustration and reflected on the tough outcome in Michigan.

“It’s just like (reliving) the Truck days,” Hocevar said on pit road. “But you’re doing it in front of a big stage. The difference is I felt like I was throwing them away. Now, they’re getting taken away … things out of our control.” Hocevar told NBC ports

The Michigan native also shared a post on X following the end of the race, where he further expressed his thoughts.

"Two days in a row with a flat LR leading.. today is a little more disappointing. thankful to be upfront all weekend at home. headed home with our heads held high."

Carson Hocevar has competed in all 15 regular-season races in 2025, securing his first top-five finish early in the year at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The #77 Spire Motorsports driver later made headlines by earning his maiden Cup Series pole position at Texas Motor Speedway.

He is currently ranked P18 in the driver standings with two top-five and three top-ten finishes. However, he has also had four DNFs this season, adding to his troubles.

---

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. calls out Carson Hocevar's lack of accountability days after Nashville run-in

Carson Hocevar was involved in a controversial on-track incident with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. during last Sunday’s (June 1) race at Nashville Superspeedway. In the aftermath, Stenhouse Jr. publicly voiced his frustration, criticizing Hocevar for a lack of accountability.

RSJ maintained his position in Stage Two as Hocevar gradually closed in. On lap 106, entering Turn 3, Hocevar made contact with the left rear of Stenhouse’s #47 Chevy, sending the Hyak Motorsports driver into a spin that ended his race.

In an interview with insider RJ Starevic, Stenhouse Jr. expressed his frustration with Hocevar for not calling him despite their incident at Nashville.

"I haven't got a call from him (Carson Hocevar). So, you know, to my point, he doesn't really care about it, which, you know, it's fine. If that's the ground he wants to stand on, that's completely fine. But definitely will be something I won't forget."

Meanwhile, the next Cup Series race in the schedule is to be held at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Mexico. The weekend will feature both Cup and Xfinity Series races on June 14 and June 15 respectively.