Brooklyn, Mich. (AP) — Carson Hocevar, who hails from Portage, grew up just 80 miles away from the Michigan International Speedway and participated in his first race at the tender age of five.
As a notable presence in the world of NASCAR, he has become a driver that fans eagerly discuss.
Now at 22, Hocevar is living his dream.
Last week, he bumped Ricky Stenhouse Jr. out of a race in Nashville, and his aggressive racing style has sparked excitement in a sport where younger drivers often tread carefully between being assertive and reckless.
“It’s nice to be a topic of conversation,” Hocevar said on Saturday, just a day before the Firekeepers Casino 400.
“At least they’re engaging with me, which is significant,” he added.
Earlier in the week, Hocevar called Stenhouse to discuss their contact on lap 106 at Nashville. Both drivers found the discussion beneficial.
“I don’t believe he intended to crash me,” Stenhouse commented. “But he was clearly quite impatient.”
“We didn’t have any problems. He has his conflicts with others.”
In his second full season in the Cup series, Hocevar finished in second place behind Nashville winner Ryan Branny, matching his personal best from earlier this year.
During the Atlanta race, some drivers expressed concerns about Hocevar over the radio, while others addressed issues in the pits. Blaney and Ross Chastain confronted Hocevar during the final stage of the race after having previously faced him in February.
Chastain voiced frustration over Hocevar’s apparent failure to learn from past mistakes, calling his latest move reckless.
“Yeah, the 47 was spun from my front bumper,” he said. “I went there, I did that.”
“I can apologize, but if you don’t learn from your mistakes, everyone will think you’re just saying that,” Branny added.
New Developments
NASCAR’s “In-Season Challenge” kicks off Sunday, followed by the next two races in Mexico City and Pocono. This initiative will create a competitive field of 32 drivers vying for a $1 million prize through a five-race series commencing in Atlanta on June 28.
A single elimination will narrow Chicago’s participants to 16, followed by eight in Sonoma, four in Dover, and two final drivers at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The NBA has found success using a similar format.
“It’s like a wild bracket in March,” Branny, who drove his No. 12 Ford to victory in Nashville, noted. “You want to perform well to match up against an easier competitor.”
“It has potential to develop. I’m eager to try it. We’ll still be racing, but it’ll feel like an in-race competition among everyone.”
Press Priorities
Denny Hamlin is preparing to leave his No. 11 Toyota this weekend to be with his fiancée Jordan, as she is due to give birth to their third child anytime.
Hamlin also navigates his responsibilities as a team co-owner. He mentioned that he would skip the upcoming race in Mexico City if necessary to be present for the boy’s birth.
Hendrick’s Drought
Hendrick Motorsports boasts 316 Cup victories, but they haven’t claimed victory at Michigan in over a decade.
Jeff Gordon secured his third win on this track, marking the team’s ninth victory there back on August 17, 2014.
Kyle Larson, who drives the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick, remarked: “Every time we come here, we’ve been among the fastest in recent races.”
“It’s not that we struggle like we did in Nashville.”
Odds and Ends
According to BetMGM Sportsbook, Larson is favored to win on Sunday at +300, followed by defending race champion Tyler Reddick at +500 and Christopher Bell at +550.
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Source: apnews.com