Hocevar, who has competed fulltime within the Truck Collection since 2021 and made his Xfinity Collection debut earlier this season, has been tapped by Spire Motorsports to make his Cup debut Sunday at World Large Know-how Raceway close to St. Louis.
Hocevar, 20, will fill in for Corey LaJoie to drive Spire’s No. 7 Chevrolet. Lajoie is on mortgage to Hendrick Motorsports this weekend to drive its No. 9 Chevy instead of Chase Elliott, who was suspended for one race by NASCAR earlier this week.
“It’s a dream come true no matter whose automotive it’s. It means the world whether or not you’re driving the automotive that’s first in factors or the automotive thirty eighth in factors on Sunday,” Hocevar stated.
“There have been a variety of occasions (sponsor) Worldwide Specific needed me on the race observe on Sunday final 12 months and I sat there hoping someday I’d get to have a driver’s go well with on attending to that time.
“A number of these ideas got here to thoughts once I came upon I’d lastly get to drive the automotive on Sunday. I work rather well and love everyone at Spire Motorsports. They belief me sufficient to drive their Sunday automotive.”
Earlier this 12 months, Spire introduced it will area Hocevar in six Xfinity races in the course of the 2023 season.
He’s made two begins thus far in its No. 77 – at Darlington, S.C., and this previous weekend at Charlotte and been spectacular in each races, ending sixth and eighth, respectively.
“These two races, I didn’t know I used to be auditioning for a Sunday experience,” he stated.
Not utterly inexperienced with Subsequent Gen
Whereas Hocevar has no on-track time within the Cup Collection’ Subsequent Gen automotive, he won’t enter this weekend utterly blind.
For the final year-and-a-half, Hocevar has executed work within the Chevrolet simulator with the Subsequent Gen automotive for Trackhouse Racing.
“I do a variety of work when Ross (Chastain) and Daniel (Suarez) can’t get in, so I’ve gotten to be taught this automotive loads,” he stated. “For me, I’ve simply needed to drive the (actual) automotive as soon as, whether or not it was a wheel-force check or one thing, simply to assist them out.
“I take my position as a sim driver very significantly and I wish to be pretty much as good as I can. The very first thing they texted me (on Wednesday) was, ‘You lastly obtained your want. You may really really feel what it’s like.’
“I already type of have a touch at how I’d just like the automotive to drive like, which I believe helps me loads. I really feel I’m ready as I may be.”
