When TIME released its inaugural TIME100 Sports list on Tuesday, NASCAR was represented by two names fans would expect to see.
Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.
Then there was the surprise.
Carson Hocevar.
The 23-year-old Spire Motorsports driver joined Jordan and Hamlin among the NASCAR figures recognized by TIME as part of its list celebrating the 100 most influential people in sports.
For Hocevar, the honor represents another sign of how quickly his profile has risen over the past year. While Jordan is one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet and Hamlin has spent two decades establishing himself as one of NASCAR’s biggest stars, Hocevar is still in just his second full Cup Series season.
Yet according to TIME, his influence is already extending far beyond the race track.
Carson Hocevar’s Rise Has Been Impossible to Ignore
TIME placed Hocevar in its Leaders category and highlighted the impact he has made despite being one of the youngest full-time drivers in the Cup Series garage.
The publication pointed to Hocevar’s breakthrough Cup Series victory earlier this season and the combination of talent, personality and confidence that has helped make him one of NASCAR’s most talked-about competitors.
“Carson Hocevar could very well be the next face of NASCAR,” TIME wrote in its profile of the Michigan native.
That statement alone is likely to generate debate among NASCAR fans.
Hocevar has become one of the sport’s most polarizing figures, drawing praise from supporters who appreciate his aggressive driving style while also attracting criticism from competitors and fans who believe he occasionally pushes the limits too far.
Love him or hate him, Hocevar has become difficult to ignore.
That visibility is exactly what TIME appears to be recognizing.
At just 23 years old, he has emerged as one of the most discussed drivers in the sport and one of the faces of NASCAR’s next generation.
Why TIME Honored Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin
While Hocevar was recognized individually, Jordan and Hamlin were featured together in the Innovators category.
TIME highlighted the pair’s work building 23XI Racing into one of NASCAR’s most successful organizations while helping reshape conversations around the sport’s business model.
The publication noted the team’s legal battle with NASCAR and the role Jordan and Hamlin have played in challenging the sport’s traditional ownership structure.
“Michael Jordan is pretty well-known for transforming basketball,” TIME wrote. “But few would have predicted that Jordan, in tandem with three-time Daytona 500-winning driver Denny Hamlin, would initiate monumental change in NASCAR.”
Jordan’s global influence combined with Hamlin’s standing as one of NASCAR’s winningest active drivers has made the duo one of the most powerful partnerships in motorsports.
NASCAR Lands Three Spots on TIME100 Sports List
NASCAR’s representation on the inaugural TIME100 Sports list ultimately came from three very different corners of the sport.
Jordan represents international star power.
Hamlin represents one of NASCAR’s most accomplished veterans and team owners.
Hocevar represents the future.
For a driver who only recently secured his first Cup Series victory, sharing a list with figures like Jordan and Hamlin marks another significant milestone in a career that continues to gain momentum.
And if TIME’s assessment is accurate, Hocevar’s influence on NASCAR may only be getting started.
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