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Carson Hocevar

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Carson Hocevar
Hocevar at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024
BornCarson Scott Hocevar
(2003-01-28) January 28, 2003 (age 21)
Portage, Michigan, U.S.
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Achievements2020 Winchester 400 Winner
2020 Redbud 400 Winner
2020, 2021 Money in the Bank 150 Winner
Awards2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Cup Series career
45 races run over 2 years
Car no., teamNo. 77 (Spire Motorsports)
2024 position21st
Best finish21st (2024)
First race2023 Enjoy Illinois 300 (Gateway)
Last race2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race (Phoenix)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 6 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
5 races run over 1 year
2023 position83rd
Best finish83rd (2023)
First race2023 Pit Boss 250 (Austin)
Last race2023 Cabo Wabo 250 (Michigan)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 2 0
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
77 races run over 5 years
2023 position3rd
Best finish3rd (2023)
First race2019 Eldora Dirt Derby (Eldora)
Last race2023 Craftsman 150 (Phoenix)
First win2023 SpeedyCash.com 250 (Texas)
Last win2023 Baptist Health Cancer Care 200 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles
4 33 1
ARCA Menards Series career
16 races run over 3 years
Best finish12th (2019)
First race2018 Toledo ARCA 200 (Toledo)
Last race2021 Clean Harbors 100 at The Glen (Watkins Glen)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 13 2
ARCA Menards Series West career
1 race run over 1 year
Best finish44th (2022)
First race2022 Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 100 (Phoenix)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Statistics current as of September 16, 2024.

Carson Scott Hocevar (born January 28, 2003) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports. He is a former member of the Drivers Edge Development driver development system.

Racing career

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Early career

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Hocevar began competing in quarter midgets at the age of 7, winning 79 feature races and 15 national championships.[1] He started racing at Berlin Raceway in 2015 as a 12 year old and won the track's Outlaw Late Model championship.[1] He won his first Super Late Model race at the track in 2016, but NASCAR stopped all drivers under 14 from competing at sanctioned tracks.[1] Hocevar returned in 2017 and won the track's Super Late Model championship.[1]

ARCA Menards Series

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Hocevar standing next to his No. 28 car in 2019 before the race at Madison

Hocevar competed in 11 ARCA Menards Series races between 2018 and 2019,[2] with 9 top ten finishes[3] and 2 pole positions.[4]

In 2019, he joined the Driver's Edge Development Program.[5]

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

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Hocevar made his NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series debut in the 2019 Eldora Dirt Derby driving the No. 3 Chevrolet Silverado for Jordan Anderson Racing.[6][1][7] He qualified for the main event by finishing third in the third qualifying race.[8] He returned to the series in November at the Lucas Oil 150, driving a No. 56 for JAR in a partnership with Hill Motorsports.[9]

On December 20, 2019, Hocevar joined Niece Motorsports for a nine-race schedule in 2020.[10]

On September 24, 2020, Hocevar and Niece announced a full-season schedule in 2021.[11] During the season, Hocevar would have a very successful rookie season nearly winning multiple races. He finished second at Charlotte and fourth at Las Vegas. He re-signed with Niece in 2022 and led the most laps of the Spring Vegas race until he was turned with 36 to go.

On June 4, 2022, Hocevar broke his right tibia at the ankle during the final lap of the Gateway race when his truck was t-boned by Tyler Hill.[12] He underwent surgery prior to the Sonoma race.[13] Hocevar took the pole position before wrecking in turn 10.[14] On lap 11, he was relieved by Daniel Suárez, who took the No. 42 to a sixth-place finish.[15]

Hocevar started the 2023 season with a 12th-place finish at Daytona. He scored his first career win at Texas in double-overtime after race leader Nick Sanchez made contact with Zane Smith on the final lap and Hocevar unintentionally spun Sanchez from behind.[16] Hocevar also scored wins at Nashville and Richmond.[17][18] He won at Homestead to make the Championship 4.[19] He decided to wreck Corey Heim and Stewart Friesen. After that Heim retaliated on Hocevar so he finished 29thfinished 29th at Phoenix after Corey Heim slammed him on the turn 4 wall in retaliation for spinning him earlier in the race; he also finished fourth in the final points standings.[20] After NASCAR penalized Heim 25 driver points for intentionally wrecking him, Hocevar was credited with a third-place points finish.

NASCAR Xfinity Series

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Hocevar takes his damaged car out of the race at Nashville Superspeedway

On March 7, 2023, Spire Motorsports announced that they will expand their racing operations to the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with Hocevar running six races in their No. 77 car, making his debut in the series at Circuit of the Americas in the No. 07 for SS-Green Light Racing before suffering a brake failure leading to a 36th-place finish.[21] He was initially on the entry list for the race at Dover Motor Speedway, but was withdrawn due to the weather providing the risk of qualifying being canceled. His debut with the team was thus scheduled for the next race at Darlington Raceway. He would finish 6th at Darlington and 8th at Charlotte Motor Speedway but would DNF at Nashville Superspeedway.

NASCAR Cup Series

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2023: Part-time

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Hocevar at Martinsville Speedway

On May 30, 2023, Hocevar was named the driver of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Camaro ZL1 for the Enjoy Illinois 300 at Gateway Motorsports Park after Spire's full-time driver Corey LaJoie would fill in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy while HMS driver Chase Elliott served a one race suspension.[22] He finished in 36th place after suffering a brake rotor explosion going into turn 1 in the second stage on lap 91 while running in 16th place. Hocevar drove the Legacy Motor Club No. 42 (originally driven by Noah Gragson, then by Josh Berry and Mike Rockenfeller on road courses after Gragson was suspended prior to the Michigan race) to a 17th place finish at Darlington.[23] He then scored a career-best 11th place finish at the Bristol night race.[24][25] On October 4, Hocevar was signed to drive the No. 42 for the remainder of the season,[26] except at Homestead-Miami where the team's 2024 driver John Hunter Nemechek drove in the No. 42 car instead.

2024: Spire Motorsports

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Hocevar's No. 77 car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024

On October 10, 2023, Hocevar announced on NASCAR Race Hub that he will bypass the Xfinity Series to join Spire Motorsports in the Cup Series full-time for the 2024 season, driving the No. 77 car under a multi-year deal.[27][28] Hocevar started the season with a 40th place DNF at the 2024 Daytona 500. He scored his first career top-10 finish at Texas. At Nashville, Hocevar spun out Harrison Burton during a caution lap; as a result, he was fined US$50,000 and docked 25 driver points.[29] At Richmond Hocevar would score his third top-10 finish of the season, tying his best finish of eighth. In qualifying for the regular season finale at Darlington, Hocevar put the 77 car on the front row, qualifying second. It is the best starting spot for Spire Motorsports in the team's history, along with Hocevar's best starting spot for his own Cup career.[30] Unfortunately, Hocevar would crash on Lap 335 and would DNF in 33rd place. At Watkins Glen on September 15, Hocevar once again eclipsed his best career NCS finish for the third time in 2024 with a third place finish, leading a triple top 10 for Spire Motorsports and even contending for the win in the final restarts. At the end of the season, he won the NASCAR Rookie of the Year honors.[31]

Other racing

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Hocevar has also run in Midgets, Micro Sprints, and Dirt Super Late Models on a part-time basis in addition to his full-time rides since 2015.

Personal life

[edit]

As a kid, Hocevar, while racing Quarter Midgets, was around many notable drivers due to his dad Scott who was a crew member as well as a sponsor for various local teams, and through this Carson was mentored heavily by Bryan Clauson, who Scott Hocevar was a crew member for.[32] Later he would also be mentored by Johnny Benson who was sponsored by Carson's dad which let Carson have the opportunity to turn wrenches for him on Benson's racecars and later also drive for him in his Outlaw Late Model program.[33]

Hocevar is the son of Scott and Amy Hocevar. He graduated from Gull Lake High School in 2021.

Hocevar is in a relationship with Super Late Model driver Peyton Lanphear. In May 2022, Lanphear was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma; she would go into remission in December of that year.[34]

Motorsports career results

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Stock car career summary

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Season Series Team Races Wins Top 5 Top 10 Points Position
2018 ARCA Racing Series KBR Development 3 0 2 2 645 31st
2019 NASCAR Truck Series Jordan Anderson Racing 2 0 0 0 29 62nd
ARCA Menards Series KBR Development 12 0 4 10 2320 12th
2020 NASCAR Truck Series Niece Motorsports 7 0 0 0 125 37th
2021 NASCAR Truck Series Niece Motorsports 22 0 3 8 2204 10th
ARCA Menards Series 1 0 1 1 40 72nd
2022 NASCAR Truck Series Niece Motorsports 23 0 7 12 2186 10th
ARCA Menards Series West 1 0 0 0 44 65th
2023 NASCAR Cup Series Spire Motorsports 1 0 0 0 0 NC†
Legacy Motor Club 8 0 0 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series SS-Green Light Racing 1 0 0 0 0 NC†
Spire Motorsports 4 0 0 2
NASCAR Truck Series Niece Motorsports 23 4 11 13 4008 3rd
2024 NASCAR Cup Series Spire Motorsports

As Hocevar was running for points in the Truck series, he was ineligible for championship points in the Cup and Xfinity series.

NASCAR

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(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Cup Series

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NASCAR Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 NCSC Pts Ref
2023 Spire Motorsports 7 Chevy DAY CAL LVS PHO ATL COA RCH BRD MAR TAL DOV KAN DAR CLT GTW
36
SON NSH CSC ATL NHA POC RCH MCH IRC GLN DAY 48th 01 [35]
Legacy Motor Club 42 Chevy DAR
17
KAN
20
BRI
11
TEX
16
TAL
35
ROV LVS
36
HOM MAR
31
PHO
19
2024 Spire Motorsports 77 Chevy DAY
40
ATL
19
LVS
15
PHO
15
BRI
27
COA
22
RCH
27
MAR
17
TEX
10
TAL
17
DOV
22
KAN
24
DAR
26
CLT
21
GTW
8
SON
17
IOW
14
NHA
17
NSH
16
CSC
24
POC
17
IND
12
RCH
8
MCH
10
DAY
11
DAR
33
ATL
16
GLN
3
BRI
18
KAN
32
TAL
14
ROV
12
LVS
23
HOM
9
MAR
25
PHO
18
21st 686 [36]
2025 DAY ATL COA PHO LVS HOM MAR DAR BRI TAL TEX KAN CLT NSH MCH MXC POC ATL CSC SON DOV IND IOW GLN RCH DAY DAR GTW BRI NHA KAN ROV LVS TAL MAR PHO -* -*
Daytona 500
[edit]
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
2024 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 9 40

Xfinity Series

[edit]
NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 NXSC Pts Ref
2023 SS-Green Light Racing 07 Chevy DAY CAL LVS PHO ATL COA
38
RCH MAR TAL DOV 83rd 01 [37]
Spire Motorsports 77 Chevy DAR
6
CLT
8
PIR SON NSH
36
CSC ATL NHA POC ROA MCH
32
IRC GLN DAY DAR KAN BRI TEX ROV LVS HOM MAR PHO

Craftsman Truck Series

[edit]
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 NCTC Pts Ref
2019 Jordan Anderson Racing 3 Chevy DAY ATL LVS MAR TEX DOV KAN CLT TEX IOW GTW CHI KEN POC ELD
25
MCH BRI MSP LVS TAL MAR 62nd 29 [38]
56 PHO
23
HOM
2020 Niece Motorsports 40 Chevy DAY LVS CLT ATL HOM POC KEN TEX KAN KAN MCH DRC
28
DOV
12
GTW
15
DAR RCH
22
BRI
17
LVS TAL KAN TEX 37th 125 [39]
42 MAR
13
PHO
32
2021 DAY
5
DRC
14
LVS
24
ATL
12
BRD
21
RCH
12
KAN
23
DAR
3
COA
7
CLT
2
TEX
11
NSH
16
POC
13
KNX
16
GLN
10
GTW
8
DAR
11
BRI
6
LVS
22
TAL
25
MAR
12
PHO
9
10th 2204 [40]
2022 DAY
9
LVS
13
ATL
27
COA
8
MAR
17
BRD
2
DAR
2
KAN
15
TEX
4
CLT
16*
GTW
24
SON
6
KNX
35*
NSH
3
MOH
3
POC
5
IRP
21
RCH
10
KAN
2
BRI
19
TAL
28
HOM
12
PHO
10
10th 2186 [41]
2023 DAY
12
LVS
7
ATL
31
COA
34
TEX
1
BRD
17
MAR
34
KAN
31
DAR
5
NWS
4
CLT
4
GTW
4
NSH
1
MOH
12
POC
11
RCH
1
IRP
4
MLW
2
KAN
6
BRI
4
TAL
11
HOM
1
PHO
29
3rd 4008 [42]

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

ARCA Menards Series

[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Menards Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 AMSC Pts Ref
2018 KBR Development 35 Chevy DAY NSH SLM TAL TOL
11
CLT POC MCH MAD GTW CHI IOW ELK BLN
4
POC ISF DSF IRP
5
SLM KAN 31st 645 [43]
2019 28 DAY FIF
17
SLM
3
TAL NSH
4
TOL
6
CLT POC MCH MAD
6
GTW
5
CHI ELK
6
IOW
4
POC ISF
8
DSF
15
SLM
7
IRP
9
KAN 12th 2320 [44]
2021 Niece Motorsports 50 Chevy DAY PHO TAL KAN TOL CLT MOH POC ELK BLN IOW WIN GLN
4
MCH ISF MLW DSF BRI SLM KAN 72nd 40 [45]

ARCA Menards Series West

[edit]
ARCA Menards Series West results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 AMSWC Pts Ref
2022 Niece Motorsports 40 Chevy PHO IRW KCR PIR SON IRW EVG PIR AAS LVS PHO
29
44th 65 [46]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Kaminski, Steve (July 30, 2019). "2017 Berlin Raceway champ Carson Hocevar to make NASCAR debut". mlive.com. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  2. ^ "Driver Carson Hocevar's ARCA Menards Series races - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  3. ^ "Driver Carson Hocevar's ARCA Menards Series top 10s - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  4. ^ "Driver Carson Hocevar's ARCA Menards Series poles - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  5. ^ Krall, Charles. "Carson Hocevar Joins Drivers Edge Development Program for 2019". ARCA Racing. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  6. ^ "Carson Hocevar to make NASCAR debut with Jordan Anderson Racing". Speedway Digest. 26 July 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  7. ^ Pepper, Andy (July 30, 2019). "Portage racer prepares for Nascar Truck Series debut". WEYI. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  8. ^ Waack, Terrin (August 1, 2019). "Eldora qualifying race results, running lineup". Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  9. ^ Krall, Charles (October 23, 2019). "ARCA Menards Series Driver Carson Hocevar to Make Second NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Start of 2019 at Phoenix". ARCA Menards Series. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  10. ^ "Carson Hocevar Joins Niece Motorsports for Partial Schedule in 2020". Niece Motorsports. December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  11. ^ Kristl, Mark (September 24, 2020). "Carson Hocevar Joining Niece Full Time for 2021". Frontstretch. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  12. ^ "Carson Hocevar will attempt to start Saturday's Truck race at Sonoma". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  13. ^ "Carson Hocevar Had Surgery on Right Tibia, Cleared to Practice at Sonoma". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 10, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  14. ^ "Carson Hocevar secures Camping World Trucks pole at Sonoma, crashes". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 11, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  15. ^ "Kyle Busch wins Truck Series race at Sonoma Raceway". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 11, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  16. ^ Cain, Holly (April 1, 2023). "Carson Hocevar finds magic in NASCAR Overtime, wins at Texas". NASCAR. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  17. ^ "Carson Hocevar powers to second CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win of the season". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media. June 23, 2023. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  18. ^ Cain, Holly (July 29, 2023). "Hocever uses late pass to win Truck regular-season finale at Richmond". NASCAR. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  19. ^ Cain, Holly (October 21, 2023). "Carson Hocevar converts Homestead win, joins Rhodes, Heim, Enfinger in Championship 4 field". NASCAR. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  20. ^ Albino, Dustin (November 3, 2023). "Ben Rhodes becomes fifth driver to win multiple Truck Series championships". NASCAR. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  21. ^ Srigley, Joseph (March 7, 2023). "Carson Hocevar Running Six Xfinity Series Races in Newly-Formed Spire Motorsports No. 77". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  22. ^ "Carson Hocevar To Make Cup Series Debut At Gateway This Weekend". www.rotoballer.com. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  23. ^ "Cook Out Southern 500 Race Results". NASCAR. September 3, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  24. ^ Albino, Dustin (September 22, 2023). "Carson Hocevar is fitting in perfectly at Cup Series level". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  25. ^ "Bass Pro Shops Night Race Results". NASCAR. September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  26. ^ "Carson Hocevar to run final four Cup races for Legacy Motor Club". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media. October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  27. ^ "Spire Motorsports, Carson Hocevar Agree to Multi-Year Contract". Spire Motorsports. October 10, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  28. ^ "Carson Hocevar to drive No. 77 for Spire Motorsports next season". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media. October 10, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  29. ^ "Penalty report: Carson Hocevar, No. 77 team issued loss of 25 driver points; two Truck Series teams fined for lug nut infractions". NASCAR. July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  30. ^ DeGroot, Nick (August 31, 2024). "Southern 500: Bubba Wallace beats Hocevar to pole in dramatic session". Motorsport.com. Darlington, South Carolina: Motorsport Network. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  31. ^ "Carson Hocevar earns NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media. November 10, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  32. ^ "Carson Hocevar to Pay Tribute to Bryan Clauson in Pinty's Truck Race on Dirt". www.speedwaydigest.com. 8 March 2013. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  33. ^ "Rising racing star Carson Hocevar, 12, has friends in high places, including two-time NASCAR champ Johnny Benson". www.mlive.com. 12 May 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  34. ^ "Carson Hocevar Girlfriend Peyton Lanphear Is A Racer And Cancer Survivor". www.playersbio.com. 30 May 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  35. ^ "Carson Hocevar – 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  36. ^ "Carson Hocevar – 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  37. ^ "Carson Hocevar – 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  38. ^ "Carson Hocevar – 2019 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  39. ^ "Carson Hocevar – 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  40. ^ "Carson Hocevar – 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  41. ^ "Carson Hocevar – 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  42. ^ "Carson Hocevar – 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  43. ^ "Carson Hocevar – 2018 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  44. ^ "Carson Hocevar – 2019 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  45. ^ "Carson Hocevar– 2021 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  46. ^ "Carson Hocevar – 2022 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
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