PORTAGE, Mich. — Portage 18-year-old Carson Hocevar is making noise in NASCAR in his first full-time season.
The driver of the No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado has seven top tens and three top fives in 18 truck series races so far this season, good enough for seventh in the current point standings.
More importantly, Hocevar has advanced to the second round of the playoffs. He's one of only eight drivers to do so and the youngest by nearly one year over Chandler Smith.
The difference between Hocevar and the rest of the playoff trucks is the resources and budget.
"We have limited resources, we're pennies on the dollar compared to a lot of competition," Hocevar said.
His journey has been a lengthy one, from starting in midgets to winning a track championship at Berlin Raceway as only a teenager and several other big races, including the Winchester 400.
Now, his dreams continue to come true in NASCAR.
"I still don't think we're quite where we need to be championship caliber wise, but we're getting a lot closer," Hocevar added, "half way through this year the light switch changed for us."
Hocevar has recorded three top tens in the past four races, with the fourth being an eleventh place finish at Darlington to help secure a spot in the round of eight.
"We've become a front runner and in the playoffs, I think we're a top five or six truck almost week in and week out. This says a lot about myself and this team, we haven't set the world on fire but we're building on something."
Next season is already secured for Hocevar, who has resigned with Niece Motorsports to drive the 42 again in the 2022 season, but his focus is solely on the championship run right now.
The next NASCAR truck series race will be held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday, Sept. 24.
