WATKINS GLEN, N.Y.: Carson Hocevar led the charge for Spire Motorsports at Watkins Glen on Sunday.
For the first time in the company’s six-year existence, all three of the organization’s cars–the Nos. 7, 71 and 77, driven by Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Hocevar, respectively–finished in the top 10.
But in his first Cup start in the Go Bowling at the Glen, Hocevar scored his first podium result, finishing third behind Shane van Gisbergen and Bowling at the Glen winner Chris Buescher.
“It’s big,” said Hocevar, who hadn’t posted a top five in his previous 36 Cup starts. “We had a shot there. We were leading into Turn 1. Just confidence, experience, and everything…I was wheel-hopping a little bit on that long run. When I lost leverage, it was just game over from there, but I had a really good shot for the win.
“The other two (van Gisbergen and Buescher), obviously they’ve won races before. And I didn’t want to throw away third—which is a really good day for us.”
Hocevar was last of 38 Cup cars on the speed chart on Saturday and qualified 29th. In the first stage, he finished 23rd–then began marching forward. The 21-year-old rookie gained seven positions over the next 20 laps and restarted the final stage ninth. Following the fourth caution, when three Playoff racers—Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Larson collided in Turn 2, Hocevar moved up to sixth for the Lap 50 restart.
The No. 77 Spire crew elected to pit on Lap 61 with William Byron—just before Christopher Bell got turned near the entrance to pit road. Ten laps later, Hocevar cycled back into sixth place for the final 30 circuits of the race.
On Lap 74, Buescher seized the lead for the second time after catching Joey Logano. As Logano, Keselowski and pole sitter Ross Chastain elected to pit, Hocevar vaulted to third behind Buescher and van Gisbergen with 10 laps remaining. A caution for debris on Lap 81 tightened the field. Hocevar was able to pass van Gisbergen on Lap 85 but had nothing for Buescher.
A quick restart resulted in another caution as Logano, Keselowski and William Byron stacked up in the esses. Hocevar remained second as the seventh and final caution was called after Kyle Busch and Tyler Reddick wrecked in Turn 2 on Lap 88 to send the race into overtime.
The No. 77 team directed Hocevar to “jump first.” And while he snatched the lead momentarily, he could not hold off Buescher or van Gisbergen over the final two laps.
“I just needed some more confidence into Turn 1,” Hocevar said. “I did everything right, all the way until Turn 1, and then I just lifted a little too early. If I could have gotten the lead, I could have fought for the win—which is a dream come true to be in contention that many times on a late-race restart and fight for a win in the Cup Series in my rookie year. The fact that we were able to do this with this team is really satisfying.”
Follow Lee Spencer on Twitter @CandiceSpencer or email her at: [email protected].
