Carson Hocevar has revisited the emotional night of November 3, 2023, at Phoenix Raceway, where the NASCAR Truck Series Championship Race took a dramatic turn. The Carson Hocevar Phoenix NASCAR Championship incident remains a defining moment, overshadowed by a controversial on-track move and its aftermath, which Hocevar says still haunts him both professionally and personally.
Hocevar’s Painful Memory of Phoenix
On that chilly night in Phoenix, Carson Hocevar was among four drivers competing for the title, alongside Corey Heim, Grant Enfinger, and Ben Rhodes. As the battle for the lead intensified, Hocevar spun Corey Heim, an incident that not only influenced the championship outcome but also gave Hocevar a reputation for over-aggressiveness—a label that has since followed him to the Cup Series. Speaking openly in a recent conversation with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hocevar did not sugarcoat his regret:
“It was me going, ‘This might be my only and last time to win a Championship.’ Like, I don’t know if I’m going to win a Cup Championship. I don’t get a shot at Xfinity — this is it,”
—Carson Hocevar, NASCAR Driver
The pressure was enormous. Hocevar, fresh off signing with Spire Motorsports, was blunt about his mindset:
“I wasn’t trying to wreck him, but my plan was to hit him in every f*cking corner. Hit him three times. I can’t let him get two car lengths in between us; if there’s a restart, he’s gotta be next to me. The only goal I have is to keep him as slow as possible.”
—Carson Hocevar, NASCAR Driver
Looking back at his decision, Hocevar admitted,
“… What cost me was him actually passing a truck. I thought he wasn’t passing a truck, and… I just f*cking backed him right into the fence. That whole night — any time I see the video I’m just embarrassed by it.”
—Carson Hocevar, NASCAR Driver
A Championship Slips Away and Regret Deepens
Despite the controversial encounter, Carson Hocevar still led the points after the incident with Heim. However, as the caution period unfolded, Hocevar’s mental state took a toll and he missed a critical opportunity to pit. That mistake was costly; he lost track position and ultimately was eliminated from the race in another collision with Heim with just three laps to go, resulting in a DNF in what could have been the biggest victory of his career.
He later reflected on his mental error and the abrupt loss of the championship:
“What’s the worst of it or the crime of it, even more was I gave up. I just quit. I was so mentally out of it, I gave up,”
—Carson Hocevar, NASCAR Driver
“We were supposed to pit, and I completely missed pit road. Now, we were leading points — we were gonna win the Championship still. I just wrecked the guy that had the only shot to beat me, and I gave up. I completely quit. … And then I had to go walk into the Cup garage. I was so embarrassed the next day.”
—Carson Hocevar, NASCAR Driver
How the Phoenix Incident Shaped Hocevar’s Reputation
The Phoenix NASCAR Truck Series finale marked a turning point for Hocevar’s standing in the racing world. While his aggressive style was thrust into the spotlight following the clash with Heim, veterans and observers—such as Dale Earnhardt Jr.—have noted both his raw talent and the areas he must refine to succeed in the Cup Series and beyond. Field veterans and fellow drivers, including personalities like Ricky Stenhouse Jr., have publicly called for Hocevar to refine his racecraft, understanding that such challenges are a common rite of passage for young drivers climbing the ranks.
Afterward, Hocevar’s own words made it clear that the psychological aftermath of the championship slip exceeded the technical errors made on track. The day following the race was filled with a profound sense of embarrassment for Hocevar as he entered the Cup Series garage, knowing that he let a potential career-defining moment slip away—not merely through driving mistakes, but because, as he put it, he mentally gave up.
What Lies Ahead for Carson Hocevar
Despite the turmoil stemming from the Carson Hocevar Phoenix NASCAR Championship incident, the Michigan-born driver has displayed notable speed in Cup Series competition and continues to show potential for future victories. The lessons from Phoenix remain fresh, serving as a motivator and a warning.
Names from across the sport—Corey Heim, Ben Rhodes, Grant Enfinger, and key observers such as Dale Earnhardt Jr.—remain part of Hocevar’s ongoing story. The scrutiny he faces from Cup veterans like Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and commentary throughout the garage underline the pressures every rising star encounters. Still, as Hocevar reflects on his growth, many anticipate that his first Cup Series win is simply a matter of time, if he can channel lessons learned into maturity behind the wheel.
The Phoenix incident remains a vital chapter not just in Hocevar’s narrative, but in the evolving landscape of NASCAR’s next generation of racers, where the line between aggression and control can define entire careers.
