NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar has signed a long-term extension with Spire Motorsports, the team announced Thursday. Though the exact length of the contract is not known, Spire says they’re retaining Hocevar ‘into the next decade’.
“It’s a pretty big moment for our company to announce an extension with Carson that takes us out for multiple years,” Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson said. “It’s not just about knowing he’ll be here with us for the long-haul, but it gives our sponsors and competition group the foresight to make their own plans knowing he’s in the seat of the No. 77 as far as we can see.”
Carson Hocevar’s Journey to Spire Motorsports
Hocevar made his NASCAR Cup Series debut for Spire Motorsports in 2023 at World Wide Technology Raceway. After a quick adjustment to Cup racing in that brief stint, Spire quickly arranged to have Hocevar drive the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 full-time starting in 2024.
“It has been an absolutely rewarding experience getting to know Carson and watching him grow up, and learn from the good and bad both at and away from the racetrack,” Dickerson continued. “I love him like a son and it means a great deal to me, personally, knowing he’ll be here for several years. I expect this announcement could test the effectiveness of my blood pressure medication, so I’ve alerted my physician and he may have to adjust the dosage appropriately, but it’ll be worth it.”
In his first year at Spire Motorsports, Hocevar won the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year honors. In two full seasons he has three top-five finishes and 15 top-tens, multiple times getting Spire within reach of its first Cup Series victory since 2019.
“I love to race and there’s really no place better to race than here,” Hocevar said. “This shows we’re all committed and eager to race with each other for a long time,” continued Hocevar. “I think of Jeff [Dickerson] as a father figure, but the same could be said for Luke [Lambert, crew chief], Tyler [Green, spotter], Bill [Anthony, team president] and all the No. 77 guys. Everyone in the building, has really become a family to me. Spire is such a different team now compared to how it was my rookie season, and especially when I made my debut in 2023. It’s fun to know I’m going to be around the Cup garage for a long time, and really a dream come true.”
A Robust Partnership
Along with his long-term contract extension in the Cup Series, Hocevar is also committed to run 13 races in the Craftsman Truck Series this year. A five-time series winner, Hocevar will help the No. 77 Truck Series team compete for the 2026 owner’s championship.
Also significant about Hocevar’s contract announcement: long-running industry speculation about the 23-year-old moving to Hendrick Motorsports is finally a moot point. He even took to social media after the announcement to reiterate his commitment to Spire Motorsports.
during contract negotiations i think i asked if it could read “if i had a pulse, i would be driving a spire race car”, but into the next decade sounds good too.
i am here for a long long time in the sport i loved as a kid. thank you, to everyone that has stuck by me.
— Carson Hocevar (@CarsonHocevar) February 5, 2026
Since joining Spire, Hocevar has shown a distinct knack for sponsor relations. Through his online presence and eclectic race-day outfits, Hocevar has made himself an effective brand ambassador for partners like Chili’s, Zeigler Automotive Group, Delaware Life, and others.
2026 will mark Hocevar’s third full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series. He’ll look to build off points finishes of 21st and 23rd respectively to lead Spire into the new Chase for the Cup format NASCAR adopted over the offseason.
