NASCAR analyst and retired driver Kyle Petty sang Carson Hocevar’s praises after the latter’s strong showing in Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington. After starting from the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments, Hocevar wheeled the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet to a fourth-place finish.
It was Hocevar’s second top-five finish of the season, and came in impressive fashion with his drive to the front. Looking ahead, Petty expects Hocevar to be a force to be reckoned with in the Cup Series soon.
Kyle Petty on Carson Hocevar’s success: ‘Going to have to be contended with’
Following his drive to the front in Sunday’s Goodyear 400, the eight-time Cup Series winner doubled down on his appreciation for the Spire Motorsports driver. Wheeling a Dale Earnhardt-inspired throwback scheme, Petty was thrilled to see Hocevar come home with a fourth-place finish.
After another stout performance, Petty believes it is undeniable that Hocevar is someone to keep an eye on in the Cup Series.
“Hocevar is going to have to be contended with at some point in time. I said it when everyone was whining about him a few weeks ago. Whine all you want to. He’s going to come in here and he’s going to take your seconds, he’s going to take your thirds, he’s going to take your fourths and fifths, and he’s going to win some races. He did it in this Earnhardt-esque car, which was just flipping fantastic,” Petty said.
Petty is not hiding his fandom for Hocevar as he later joked that he’s a member of the driver’s fan club.
“I told you I’ve got my Hocevar lifetime membership. I’m in that fan club. I’m going to the convention,” Petty said.
Hocevar initially qualified 16th for Sunday’s Cup race at Darlington Raceway. However, after unapproved adjustments, the 23-year-old was forced to drop to the back prior to the start of Sunday’s race.
The Michigan native’s top-five Darlington run was his second top-five finish of the season. It matched his best finish of the campaign after placing fourth at EchoPark Speedway last month.
Hocevar currently sits 13th in the points standings after six races. Seeking his first appearance in The Chase, Hocevar has a 12-point gap over the cut line.
Kyle Petty sees ‘changing of the guard’ coming in NASCAR
Hocevar is not the only up-and-coming NASCAR star that has caught the eye of Kyle Petty.
After strong performances at Darlington from the likes of Ty Gibbs and Austin Cindric, Petty believes their ability to run well at “The Track Too Tough to Tame” speaks volumes about their talent.
Much like how he watched Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Harry Gant, and Terry Labonte break into the sport, Petty sees similarities in today’s rising NASCAR stars.
“They came in and they latched onto Darlington and they became contenders because they could run at a place like this. We’re seeing a Carson Hocevar, we’re seeing a Ty Gibbs run up there, we saw Cindric run [up there], we see Tyler Reddick — we’re seeing a changing of the guard right now and they’re doing it week in and week out,” Petty said.
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Martinsville Speedway this Sunday. The Cook Out 400 is scheduled for Sunday, March 29 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time.
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