LINCOLN, AL - APRIL 26: Carson Hocevar 77 Spire Motorsports Chili s Ride the Dente Chevrolet rides on the window ledge of his race car after winning his first NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series race, the Jack LinkÕs 500 on Sunday April 26, 2026 at the Talladega Superspedway in Lincoln, AL. Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire AUTO: APR 26 NASCAR Cup Series Jack LinkÕs 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon95326042611951
LINCOLN, AL - APRIL 26: Carson Hocevar 77 Spire Motorsports Chili s Ride the Dente Chevrolet rides on the window ledge of his race car after winning his first NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series race, the Jack LinkÕs 500 on Sunday April 26, 2026 at the Talladega Superspedway in Lincoln, AL. Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire AUTO: APR 26 NASCAR Cup Series Jack LinkÕs 500 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon95326042611951
Fresh off his breakthrough victory at Talladega, Carson Hocevar stopped by the latest episode of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Dale Jr Download podcast to pull back the curtain on his racing obsessions. The young driver opened up about the one track that truly gets him excited and shared how he is turning his motorhome into a high-tech training ground.
Hocevar made his preference clear right away, stating, “Indy the racetrack is my favorite.” He recalled the first time he took to the Brickyard, where his speed immediately caught everyone’s attention. “I was P1 in 10-lap average at the Brickyard the first year I ran. They were like, 'Dude, you're pushing really hard.' They're like, 'We're like P1 in 10-lap average, this is awesome,'” he shared.
The experience was more than just professional for him; it was deeply personal. “I told them this, and I meant it: 'I've never gone down a straightaway and realized I was smiling.' Like, I was cheesing my a** off, smiling and enjoying it,” Hocevar said.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 21: Carson Hocevar 77 Spire Motorsports Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet races off of turn four during the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Brickyard 400 on July 21, 2024, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire AUTO: JUL 21 NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon116240721139
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 21: Carson Hocevar 77 Spire Motorsports Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet races off of turn four during the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Brickyard 400 on July 21, 2024, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire AUTO: JUL 21 NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon116240721139
He even admitted to role-playing like a kid in a driveway, narrating his own race as he drove. “For every lap I was running it, I kept narrating as if I was coming around to win the Indy 500... and pretending cars were behind me and everything. I was like, 'And he comes around the checkered flag! Oh my god, there's one more to go!' And, you know, I just kept doing that,” he added.
When the conversation turned to his training habits, Dale Jr. asked about the simulation rig Hocevar keeps in his hauler.
“It's in there every week. I'm working on putting one in my motorhome now,” he explained. He has already mapped out the renovation, noting, “So, there's a spot in my motorhome that normally is like a desk and then just a chair. Well, I'm just going to take the chair out and put it so there's like the booth where there's like two deals and the table.”
Hocevar eyes a potential Brickyard double
Carson Hocevar has some serious stats to back up his love for Indianapolis. Till now, he has raced two solid shifts on the famous oval during the Brickyard 400. He finished 12th in 2024 and 10th in 2025.
Even though he is currently focusing entirely on his NASCAR season, Hocevar has plans to actually try "The Double", racing both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.
Running two of the biggest races is a huge task, especially looking at how tough it was for Kyle Larson in 2024 and 2025. Right now, Hocevar likely needs to find his footing and grab a few more wins in the Cup Series before taking on that milestone.
You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!
Written by
Sanskriti Pastor
Edited by
Suyashdeep Sason