After purchasing a charter at $40 million and buying the entire Kyle Busch Motorsports Truck Series program from team to shop and manufacturing business; Spire Motorsports continues to make some big moves in NASCAR.

On October 10, Spire has signed Craftsman Truck Series driver Carson Hocevar to a multi-year deal that will put the 20 year old driver in the number 77 Cup Series car currently being driven by Ty Dillon.

Next season, Hocevar will be teammates with Corey LaJoie who has signed an extension to his current contract.

Hocevar has previously made a start in the Cup Series for Spire Motorsports but most recently has been behind the wheel of the Legacy Motor Club number 42 car for five starts after the departure of Noah Gragson.

Last week Mike Rockenfeller drove the number 42 car on the road course at The Roval; Legacy has announced that Carson Hocevar will finish out the season driving the number 42 car.  There are four races remaining in the Cup 2023 season – Las Vegas, Homestead-Miami, Martinsville, and Phoenix.

One of the eight drivers in the playoffs in the Craftsman Truck Series, Hocevar is in his third year with Niece Motorsports and after several second place finishes, earned his first of three race wins earlier this season.

Prior to getting into the Next Gen car, Hocevar has been used as the simulator driver for Hendrick Motorsports and Trackhouse Racing.

Speaking on his time as a simulator driver, Hocevar said, “it’s similar to the truck.  That helps, but it’s more (that) I just have a lot of sim time in this thing. I started sim when the car was first introduced and I’ve been driving sim since, so I’ve seen how these cars build and develop and I bring a little bit of knowledge of what a real winning car should feel like.”

Speaking on his time in the actual car Hocevar added, “and when I ran Spire, they gave me the full access to rebuild that car and Legacy has given me the same thing. So I don’t want to toot my own horn — I’m not smart or anything and know the springs and shocks and all the everything — but I know what it’s supposed to feel like and I feel like for me to come in and elevate programs and help, it is more rewarding than just driving.”

Hocevar came to the attention of the racing community last year when he broke his ankle in a crash and not only drove the number 42 truck the next week; but put the truck on the pole in the process.  He missed only one race – a road course – due to concern of the pressure on the leg during the race.