Carson Hocevar may seem to have it under control being 79 points above the Chase cutoff. Yet the Spire Motorsports driver was quick to comment on how the team has been losing out on easy points despite having that race-winning capacity.

“Yeah, I think we've been faster than what we should have, you know, been finishing,” Hocevar said.

Despite that frustration, he noted how the racing environment is helping the team out. “I thank the heavens that everybody else around us, either below or around us in points, has had the worst days.”

Even though Hocevar seems to be gaining on the playoff cut line, the biggest problem for him and the team right now is execution. “I'm watching so many stage points just get thrown away because you keep losing track position or just, you know, not having our details dialed in,” he explained.

This was seen in the latest race at Nashville as well. Hocevar finished 10th but lost stage points as he finished 30th and 26th in the two stages.

Even while pointing out the common issues, he did not escape individual blame, saying, “You're trying to make adjustments, and I feel like I then give them the wrong direction and everything.”

Despite the ongoing issues, Hocevar continues to stay positive as he added, “Especially in these next two races, I think it's going to be really important for us. If we get through these two, we're in a really, really good spot.”

The young driver, even though hopeful, seems to be having a mixed bag of a season that, fortunately, appears to be heading in the right direction. Let’s take a look at his standings and feats in 2026 and the way forward from here.

A crucial stretch awaits the No. 77 team

Hocevar's comments seem better understood when we look at his 2026 season. The Spire Motorsports driver already owns his first Cup Series victory at Talladega, claimed his first career pole at Texas with a 28.222-second lap, and scored a fourth-place finish at Atlanta. Yet he still believes that he could do better.

That doing better hinges on the next two races. First, what he needs to do is avoid poorly timed caution strategies that, for example, ruined his race during the Dover All-Star event. Then he needs to focus on performing and racing well at Michigan and Pocono, focusing on stage points as well, and not just the final result.

If he does that, he would be able to build a larger points cushion before NASCAR heads to the new San Diego street course, one of the biggest unknown variables of the season.

You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!

Written by

Uday Jakhar