Skip to main content
Join Now
NASCAR Logo

Carson Hocevar named NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year

JHby:Jonathan Howard•11/10/24•

Jondean25

Carson Hocevar
Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

After a long and grueling 36-week race season, Carson Hocevar has earned Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Cup Series. Joey Logano took home the big trophy, but Hocevar closed out his season on a strong note.

This season was great for Carson Hocevar. He earned not only his first career top-10 but six of them, including a P3 finish at Watkins Glen. All of those finishes came on non-drafting tracks.

CLICK HERE to go to PrizePicks and use code ON3 to receive a guaranteed $50 once you play $5 in lineups!

While Hocevar fell off in the second half of the Phoenix race, he was in the top-10 for a time. The rookie finished the season with only two DNFs and beat out Josh Berry of Stewart-Haas Racing and his Spire Motorsports teammate Zane Smith for the award.

Carson Hocevar is a driver with a lot of talent. There is a reason why Spire wanted to get him in their car at such a young age. He has a lot of growing to do. When he is racing on short tracks he can often turn into a wrecking ball, driving through cars instead of racing them.

However, it is undeniable that Hocevar has the intangibles. The pure speed he is able to get out of his car jumps out at you. It would not shock me to see Hocevar win a race in 2025.

Carson Hocevar brings home ROY honors

When Carson Hocevar filled in for Corey LaJoie at Gateway in 2023, he showed off. He put that No. 7 car, which struggled to get into the top 20 most weeks, straight into the top 15 in his debut. Then his brake rotors blew.

Well, this season, he took a Spire car to P8 at Gateway. But his most impressive performance was at Watkins Glen. P3 on the road course during the NASCAR Playoffs. When every car in the Round of 16 was clawing and scratching for points, Hocevar bested all but two drivers.

It is clear that Hocevar excels on the big ovals. Intermediate tracks appear to be his strength. He had top-10s at Texas, Michigan, and Homestead. He is also strong on short tracks. But if his road course skills are that good at this young, then he is going to have a real secret weapon, another skill, later in his career.

Carson Hocevar is the 2024 Rookie of the Year. Is he going to be a future champion one day?