CONCORD, N.C.: Carson Hocevar was within five laps of earning his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory in Friday night’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, but an overtime restart forced the sophomore driver to make a mistake that ultimately cost him the win.
Dominating Stage 3 in his No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST, Hocevar had more than a three-second lead following green flag pit stops but when Jesse Little and Tyler Ankrum collided in Turn 4, the yellow flag waved, immediately erasing Hocevar’s lead and focus.
“You gotta be fucking kidding me,” shouted the driver from inside the cockpit.
With reassurance from crew chief Phil Gould that he had one of the fastest trucks in the field, Hocevar set himself up for a three-mile shootout to the finish.
Electing to take the bottom on the restart, Hocevar found some relief knowing that his Niece Motorsports teammate Ross Chastain sat on his heels and ready to hopefully push him to Victory Lane.
On Hocevar’s outside – Ryan Preece in a limited schedule for David Gilliland Racing looked to earn his second Truck Series victory in an 11th hour deal wrestled together.
As the field took the green flag in NASCAR overtime, the two trucks ran side by side into Turn 1 and as the trucks screamed out of Turn 1, contact was made between Hocevar and Preece. Despite the contact, both trucks sounded down the backstretch and with a push from Chastain, Hocevar took the slight advantage entering Turn 3.
Hocevar, however, attempted to push Preece’s truck up the race track in hopes of giving himself enough clearance to clear the veteran driver for the lead and hopeful win.
Instead, Hocevar overdrove the corner and spun and sent both trucks into the outside wall with the No. 42 Chevrolet Silverado RST receiving extensive damage that would eliminate Hocevar from any chances of winning his first Truck Series race.
The team would survey and repair the truck as best as they could for a second NASCAR overtime restart. With a battered truck, Hocevar would stay on the lead lap but was unable to pick up any positions and would be forced to settle for a heartbreaking 16th place finish.
After the race, Hocevar blamed himself for losing the race.
“A dumb ass move by myself,” Hocevar explained. “That’s it. Sucks. I tried really hard. Tried too hard. I didn’t get a good restart and just tried too hard – tried to wash him (Ryan Preece) up and I just crashed myself.”
A visibly upset Hocevar could be seen fighting back tears and the emotions of winning the biggest race of his racing career – but Hocevar explained that the emotion comes from the passion to win – something he always wants to do.
“I feel like a sis crying, but it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do,” he added.
Chastain won the race, putting Niece Motorsports back in Victory Lane for the first time since winning at Pocono Raceway in 2019.
“I’m sure as hell going to eat watermelon in Victory Lane though,” sounded Hocevar signaling to Chastain’s now signature celebratory trademark.
“Carson Hocevar and that No. 42 team dominated tonight. Al Niece (team owner) has given us trucks to come out and fight for wins,” Chastain said. “I hate it so much for Carson. If I had chosen the bottom (lane) like he did, I would have done the same thing. You’re just in a bad spot and I would have given him the push he needed to win.
“I’m so proud of Carson. I just want to say that over and over. I love him. We learn together and we lose together. I’m ready to bust (a watermelon)!”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01
