Michigan Native Carson Hocevar follows up his third Top 10 of 2024 at Richmond with a fourth as he finishes 10th in the rain-delayed FireKeepers 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Carson’s 10th place finish at Michigan International marks the first time in his career that he finished in the Top 10 back-to-back. After Mother Nature played her hand in Cup Series Qualifying, Carson started P. 11 for the Michigan race.

Carson Hocevar is a native of Portage, Michigan, about an hour and a half west of the Michigan International Speedway. He grew up racing quarter-midgets and eventually won 15 national championships. Hocevar competed in ARCA before the Craftsman Truck Series, where he won four times and finished third in the 2023 Craftsman Truck Series championship.

Carson also got his big chance to make a Cup in 2023 with Spire Motorsports when Chase Elliott was suspended, and Spire’s driver Corey LaJoie filled in the 9 car. Carson impressed in the Spire No. 7, running better than Corey, who was in Hendrick Motorsports equipment. Carson filled in for a suspended Noah Gragson at Legacy Motor Club in their No. 42 car, where he nearly scored his first Top 10 at Bristol in the fall.

2024 is Carson’s first full-time effort, and man, he has impressed. Now, 24 races into our 36-race season, Carson has amassed one more Top 10 finish than both of his teammates combined. Corey LaJoie finished P. 4 at the Daytona 500, while Zane Smith finished second at Nashville and seventh at Michigan. The pairing of Smith and Hocevar at Michigan International Speedway marks the first time that Spire Motorsports has had multiple cars in the Top 10 in a single race since the 2021 Daytona 500.

Carson’s day at Michigan even got a little more special to him as he got to lead a NASCAR Cup Series race at his home track. Carson stayed out long during a pit cycle and led three laps late in the race.

For his rookie season, Carson Hocevar is 22nd in points. Not that impressive, you may say, but here’s the benchmark. Corey LaJoie, a seasoned Cup Series veteran and elder statesman of Spire Motorsports, is 31st in points, 109 points back from Carson. Zane Smith, also a rookie, is 33rd in points.

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