“met gala tomorrow i hope they invited carson hocevar” Twitter/X user @bostonmegsox posted at 11:29 PM on Sunday Night.
Less than 24 Hours later, NASCAR’s newest first time winner and budding young star, Carson Hocevar responded with a picture of himself in a suit, sitting in front of a mirror with lights surrounding it, and a lanyard with a tag that read “LIVE From Met Gala” with his name written in marker below, and a caption attached to the photo simply reading “they did”. The NASCAR side of the internet exploded with questions about the photo’s legitimacy. Whether or not it was real, or if Hocevar was messing around.
Just minutes later, NASCAR’s official account posted a photo of Hocevar preparing, seemingly all but confirming it.
For the first time in 17 Years, a NASCAR driver was heading to the Met Gala.
WHAT IS THE MET GALA?
I understand that many NASCAR fans may not be familiar with what the Met Gala is, or why it’s even important for drivers to be mingling in those circles. So allow me to explain.
Simply put, the Met Gala is a celebration of Fashion and Art, which is held on the first Monday of May. The event begins with the “Red” Carpet on the steps of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. It is a very exclusive, invitation-only, dinner party-style event, reserved for a group of several hundred of the most famous people on the planet.
Not exactly a NASCAR fan’s scene, I get it.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
A lot of NASCAR fans openly wondered why it mattered, and others criticized it, saying it’s “not NASCAR”, when that couldn’t be further from the truth. The biggest names of yesteryear, Gordon, Earnhardt, Stewart, etc., spent time interacting with Hollywood elites and presenting NASCAR to the audiences watching those interactions. Jeff Gordon was the most recent driver to attend the Met Gala, having attended in 2009. Dale Earnhardt Jr. introduced legendary nu metal/alternative rock band Linkin Park at the MTV Music Awards. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was featured on “The Late Show with David Letterman”, among many other examples. Point being, if NASCAR wants to return to those heights or even get close to it, sending drivers to events like the Met Gala opens a door to fans who never would have considered watching NASCAR.
It’s called exposure.
NASCAR mastered it in the late 90s and early 2000s, and you see in other leagues like the NFL and NBA, both of which had players at the Met Gala on Monday. A slightly more apt comparison would be 7-Time Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton’s consistent attendance at the Met Gala.
Over the course of the evening, Hocevar was interviewed multiple times. Allowing him to showcase his natural charm and personality to people who don’t know him or the sport.
In order for the sport to grow, it is imperative that you have stars. Drivers who are successful on the track and have big, marketable personalities off of it. Carson Hocevar checks every box.
If he keeps winning (and I’m pretty sure he will) and keeps building his brand the way he is off the track, he could very likely become the face of the sport and the sport’s first true superstar in over a decade.
Image via NASCAR
