On November 3, 2023, Carson Hocevar experienced a night at Phoenix Raceway that remains unforgettable for him. During the NASCAR Truck Series Championship Race, Hocevar was one of four contenders for the title, competing against Corey Heim, Grant Enfinger, and Ben Rhodes. The race ended in disappointment for Hocevar after a series of aggressive moves led to a spin involving Heim, generating a lasting reputation for his driving style. Hocevar later expressed his embarrassment over how the events unfolded during a candid conversation with Dale Earnhardt Jr., highlighting just how much the Phoenix NASCAR DNF affected him.

Details of the On-Track Incident With Corey Heim

Hocevar admitted he was desperate to win the Championship, knowing it could be his only chance as he had just signed with Spire Motorsports, a team not expected to contest for championships anytime soon. His aggressive approach was intentional, aiming to keep Heim from gaining any advantage on restarts by hitting him at every opportunity.

It was me going, ‘This might be my only and last time to win a Championship.’ Like, I don’t know if I’m going to win a Cup Championship. I don’t get a shot at Xfinity — this is it,

Hocevar said.

I had just signed with Spire at that time, and it was ‘We ain’t winning a Championship any time soon.’ I wasn’t trying to wreck him, but my plan was to hit him in every f*cking corner. Hit him three times. I can’t let him get two car lengths in between us; if there’s a restart, he’s gotta be next to me. The only goal I have is to keep him as slow as possible.

However, Hocevar misjudged one moment when he thought Heim was not passing another truck. Instead, he accidentally backed Heim’s truck into the fence, which heavily influenced the race outcome. The memory of the crash continues to embarrass Hocevar.

… What cost me was him actually passing a truck. I thought he wasn’t passing a truck, and… I just f*cking backed him right into the fence. That whole night — any time I see the video I’m just embarrassed by it.

Mental Struggle After the Incident and Missed Opportunity

Despite the setback, Hocevar was still leading in the championship points for a time. Unfortunately, his mindset deteriorated rapidly as he later missed a crucial pit road call during a caution triggered by the spin. This mistake caused him to drop through the field, and shortly afterward, more contact with Heim resulted in Hocevar wrecking out of the race with only three laps left, marking a heartbreaking DNF in what was the biggest race of his young career.

Hocevar openly admitted that following the incident, he mentally gave up on winning the championship, a decision he deeply regrets.

What’s the worst of it or the crime of it, even more was I gave up. I just quit. I was so mentally out of it, I gave up,

Hocevar revealed.

We were supposed to pit, and I completely missed pit road. Now, we were leading points — we were gonna win the Championship still. I just wrecked the guy that had the only shot to beat me, and I gave up. I completely quit. … And then I had to go walk into the Cup garage. I was so embarrassed the next day.

Hocevar’s Progression and Challenges in the Cup Series

Since that night, Carson Hocevar has advanced to the NASCAR Cup Series, where his raw speed has been evident. However, he has also been involved in several on-track clashes, including incidents with established drivers such as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Experienced veterans in the sport have publicly advised Hocevar to refine his driving discipline, a common challenge all young drivers face as they mature in NASCAR’s top levels.

Despite these struggles, Hocevar’s talent and determination suggest that his first Cup Series win is on the horizon, marking an important milestone in his career as he continues to develop.