Carson Hocevar talks through the confidence behind his Talladega breakthrough, the messy celebration that followed, and why he tries to connect with fans in a real way. He also gets into the people around him, from a mentor he calls his "race dad basically" to friends and family who helped him process the moment. The conversation widens to his outlook on racing, where passion, authenticity, and points management matter as much as raw speed.
Carson Hocevar delivers an emotional and unfiltered breakdown of his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega Superspeedway, revealing behind-the-scenes details of his iconic celebration, post-race Chili’s experience, and championship ambitions in one of the most talked-about moments in NASCAR. Kevin Harvick hosts this episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, sitting down with Hocevar to unpack his first win, what planning went into the viral celebration, the mindset required to block out noise, and whether his team has what it takes to contend for a NASCAR Cup Series championship this season.
0:00 - Intro
0:20 - Carson Hocevar Joins The Show!
0:34 - Winning First Cup Race At Talladega
4:12 - Iconic Celebration After Talladega Win
14:57 - Sharing Win With Family & Friends
17:23 - Relationship With Jeff Dickerson
21:51 - Celebrating At Chili’s
23:00 - Blocking Out The Noise
28:14 - Contending For A Championship
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"So when we got up there at Talladega and that caution came out, it was me, the 43 and the 47, same as 500."
A “caution” is when something on the track makes it unsafe to race at full speed. Everyone slows down, and that changes the plan for when to pit and how to line up for the restart.
In NASCAR, a caution (yellow flag) means there’s a hazard on track, and the race is run under controlled conditions. Drivers typically adjust strategy—pit timing, tire/brake management, and restart positioning—because the field bunches up and race pace changes.
Concept
almost turned the same way at the 500
"And when I got almost turned the same way at the 500, but I bounced off the 43 this time, off his front nose, you could have bookmarked it in my mind."
He’s describing almost losing control—like the car started to rotate or slide the wrong way. In stock car racing, tiny inputs and grip changes can decide whether you recover or spin out.
This describes a near spin/slide event—losing the car’s intended line and rotating—followed by recovery. In oval racing, small changes in throttle, steering input, and car balance can be the difference between staying pointed forward and getting turned around.
"And when I got almost turned the same way at the 500, but I bounced off the 43 this time, off his front nose, you could have bookmarked it in my mind."
The “front nose” is the very front of the car. If you bump another car there, it can change how the car handles for the rest of the race.
In NASCAR bodywork, the “front nose” is the forward-most part of the car’s nose/bumper area that can contact another car during close racing. Because these cars run tight packs, even light contact at the nose can affect aero balance and how the car tracks through turns.
"as long as I get through the gears and the thing stays running, we're going to come back across, you know, three laps later and win."
It means shifting the car’s gears to keep the engine pulling. Doing it smoothly helps you keep speed and accelerate when you need to.
“Through the gears” refers to shifting the transmission through multiple gear ratios to keep the engine in its power band. In NASCAR, maintaining momentum and avoiding a bad shift matters because it directly affects acceleration out of corners and how quickly you can regain speed after a disruption.
"That's why I even told Tyler, I had him running probably all the way around the spotter stand."
The spotter stand is where the race spotter watches the track from an elevated position and communicates with the driver. Spotters call out traffic, gaps, and dangers—especially during cautions and restarts—so the driver can make faster, safer decisions.
"But you know, that was kind of, that was, you know, I was super, super calm in that moment of that caution, just because I was, I just felt like it was all lining up perfectly."
A restart is when the race goes back to full speed after slowing down for a caution. Where you are and how you launch can make a big difference in who ends up in front.
A restart is when the race resumes racing speed after a caution period. Driver positioning, timing, and how the car is set up for acceleration off the restart line can heavily influence track position and the chance to win.
"So I pushed the clutch in. Well, when I dropped the clutch, because my foot's twisted like this..."
The clutch is what you press to let the engine and the transmission “connect” or “disconnect.” In a race car, releasing it at the right moment helps the car start moving smoothly.
In a manual-transmission car, the clutch is the pedal and mechanism that disconnects the engine from the gearbox so you can start moving or change gears without grinding. In racing, drivers time clutch release carefully to get the car moving without bogging down or stalling.
"my foot got stuck in the, you know, the top of my foot got stuck in between the brake and the clutch."
The brake pedal slows the car down. If your foot ends up between the brake and clutch, you can’t control the car the way you need to.
The brake pedal slows the car by applying friction to the brake system. In a race cockpit, pedal spacing and driver position matter a lot—if your foot gets caught between pedals, it can look like you’re stuck and prevent proper throttle/clutch inputs.
"And the steering wheel was not on. Steering was on then. So that's when I realized the only way to not get my foot stuck was take the steering wheel off."
The steering wheel controls the front wheels’ direction via the steering system. In this story, removing and reinstalling the steering wheel is a practical way to avoid interference with the driver’s left-foot movement during a restart/launch sequence.
Term
in the car
"Because I don't get to hear it when I cross the line, whether there was a loud crowd or quiet or however they react. I'm in the car. I got the engine going on."
When they say “in the car,” they mean the driver is inside the cockpit during the race. From there, they hear the engine and radio, but they can’t hear the crowd the same way as someone in the stands.
In NASCAR, being “in the car” means the driver is experiencing the race through the cockpit—engine sound, radio calls, and track feedback—rather than hearing the crowd from the stands. That changes what the driver can perceive at key moments like crossing the finish line.
"So that's why I like launch forward. Because, I mean, it was already hard for me to like get that thing rolling. And I was like, I cannot. No two-pedal in here. I can't, yeah, I got, I, I can't keep this thing. If this thing shuts off,"
“Two-pedal” means the car is controlled mostly with just two pedals: gas and brake. The speaker is saying they can’t keep the car going if it shuts off, because they don’t have the extra pedal/controls they’d need to manage it.
“Two-pedal” refers to a car controlled primarily with two pedals—typically accelerator and brake—rather than a clutch-and-gear setup. In racing context, it highlights how the driver’s ability to keep the car moving depends on the car’s throttle/brake control strategy and whether the car stays running.
"They were
[988.4s] super big on Daytona and Talladega. So we met during basically COVID playing iRacing and it's
[995.3s] grown to people I met here or there and everywhere."
Daytona and Talladega are two of NASCAR’s biggest tracks. They’re famous for very fast, close racing where lots of cars run together.
Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway are NASCAR’s two most famous superspeedways. They’re known for high speeds and pack racing, which is why drivers and fans often talk about them as special events.
"They were
[988.4s] super big on Daytona and Talladega. So we met during basically COVID playing iRacing and it's
[995.3s] grown to people I met here or there and everywhere."
iRacing is an online racing video game/simulator with real competition. People use it to practice and race against others.
iRacing is a subscription-based online racing simulator where drivers compete in virtual races. In motorsports, it’s become a common way to practice racecraft, meet other racers, and build competitive experience.
"whether it's, you know, Dale Raeber was the first one I ever gotten a quarter midget with and then
[1018.6s] Zach Dunson called me and he was the one I've got late model and Johnny Benson was my mentor"
A quarter midget is a small race car class for kids. It’s often one of the first steps people take to start racing for real.
A quarter midget is a youth racing class that uses small, scaled-down cars for kids. It’s a common entry point into motorsports for young drivers before they move into larger series like late models or regional stock-car racing.
"[1018.6s] Zach Dunson called me and he was the one I've got late model and Johnny Benson was my mentor
[1024.7s] growing up when I was younger and, you know, like Tim Klosson when I was getting ready to maybe go"
“Late model” is a type of stock-car racing series/class. It’s a bigger step than youth racing and a common path toward bigger NASCAR opportunities.
In stock-car racing, “late model” usually refers to late-model stock cars used in regional dirt or asphalt series. It’s a step up from youth classes and is often where drivers develop the skills needed for higher-level NASCAR-style competition.
"and, you know, like Tim Klosson when I was getting ready to maybe go
[1029.9s] dirt racing, you know, with him and the Spire relationship and everything now and,"
Dirt racing means racing on a dirt track instead of pavement. The cars handle differently because the surface grip changes.
Dirt racing is stock-car racing on loose surfaces like dirt or clay, which changes traction and car behavior compared with asphalt. Drivers often need different setup choices and driving techniques because the track grip can vary lap to lap.
"and, you know, like Tim Klosson when I was getting ready to maybe go
[1029.9s] dirt racing, you know, with him and the Spire relationship and everything now and,"
Spire is a racing team in NASCAR. The guest is saying they worked with that team as they moved up in their career.
“Spire” here refers to Spire Motorsports, a NASCAR team/organization. The speaker mentions a relationship with them as part of their progression into higher-level racing.
"and I think that this process has been really interesting because you go from truck straight to cup and
[1075.9s] that isn't by chance, that is by somebody realizing that you just don't need to waste any more time,"
NASCAR has different levels of racing. “Truck” is one level, and “Cup” is the top level—so “straight to Cup” means jumping up quickly.
In NASCAR, “truck” refers to the Camping World Truck Series, while “Cup” refers to the NASCAR Cup Series. The phrase “truck straight to cup” describes a driver moving up to the top-level Cup Series without spending much time in between.
"the circle of life is the hardest thing for a cup driver to balance right like it's because you've got money you've got problems you've got race cars"
A “Cup driver” means a NASCAR driver who competes in the highest NASCAR series. It’s not only about driving—the team has a lot of logistics and pressure to manage too.
In NASCAR, a “Cup driver” is someone who races in the top-level NASCAR Cup Series. The job isn’t just driving fast—Cup teams also manage sponsorship, travel, and car preparation, which is why balancing “money,” “problems,” and “race cars” comes up in the discussion.
"I've never seen Luke that excited like I just remember the the mental shot I have is I round to victory lane and he jumps out"
Victory Lane is where the winner goes right after the race. It’s basically the celebration spot for getting the checkered flag.
Victory Lane is the designated area at a racetrack where the winner is celebrated immediately after the checkered flag. In NASCAR culture, it’s a shorthand for “winning the race,” which is why the speaker remembers the moment so vividly.
"I feel like we've thrown away a lot of points you know Kansas we had some you know pit road issues"
Pit road is the controlled area where NASCAR teams service the car during scheduled stops or under caution. Issues on pit road—like timing, speeding, or execution problems—can cost track position and points quickly.
"Phoenix we struggled on the strategy side and ran out tires"
In NASCAR, the 'strategy side' refers to decisions like when to pit, whether to take tires/fuel, and how to plan for cautions and track position. Even with a fast car, poor timing can leave you short on tires or force you into disadvantageous restarts.
"and you know so there's a world where we we're getting to the green-white checkered and you know strategy how it worked out"
In NASCAR, a green-white checkered is an overtime restart. It gives the race a chance to finish under green-flag racing instead of ending early due to a caution.
A green-white checkered is a NASCAR overtime format used to avoid ending a race under caution. The race restarts with a green flag, then a white flag indicates the final lap, followed by the checkered flag to finish.
"so like when we were sitting there when they got rid of the roval that was where it kind of clicked for us"
The 'roval' is a NASCAR road-course layout that combines road-course turns with portions of an oval track. It changes braking points, tire wear, and passing opportunities compared with a pure oval, so teams often need different setups and strategy.
- Intro
- Carson Hocevar Joins The Show!
- Winning First Cup Race At Talladega
- Iconic Celebration After Talladega Win
- Sharing Win With Family & Friends
- Relationship With Jeff Dickerson
- Celebrating At Chili’s
- Blocking Out The Noise
- Contending For A Championship
Select text to request an explanation
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Can you contend for the championship by the end of the year?
We might shock the world, but none of us would be shocked.
You know, kind of confidence, maybe a little arrogance.
No good race car driver is not arrogant.
Well, we've all been talking about the possibility of your first win and it happened
last week and I think that, you know, I think when I look back at Daytona, I'm like,
man, that was almost an instant replay of the Daytona 500,
but it worked out in your favor this time.
What was it like those last, let's go back to the caution.
What was it like during that caution period, knowing that you were in that same position
and then those last couple laps, just the emotions and everything that ran through you?
Yeah. So I was, I was super confident from whatever, for whatever reason,
like Wednesday, I was like, I just feel like I'm not owed at all, but like that it's just,
we're going to, you feel like you could pick winners at super speedways because those
super speedways, I feel like they, the stories kind of write themselves of who
either is owed or just however they're going to attack the weekend.
And I was like, you know what?
Like I'm, I'm going to kind of attack this of like, it's going to be us.
Like why wouldn't it be us? It's going to be us.
So when we got up there at Talladega and that caution came out, it was me, the 43 and the 47,
same as 500. And so I kind of already had it in my head that it was going to be us.
And when I got almost turned the same way at the 500, but I bounced off the 43 this time,
off his front nose, you could have bookmarked it in my mind. I was like, as long as I get
through the gears and the thing stays running, we're going to come back across, you know,
three laps later and win. Like I was so confident. That's why I even told Tyler, I had him running
probably all the way around the spotter stand. So he was a little out of breath, he said,
but I told him to breathe because that was my, you know, non-cocky way of saying,
Tyler relax, we're going to win. It's fine. But you know, that was kind of, that was, you know,
I was super, super calm in that moment of that caution, just because I was, I just felt like
it was all lining up perfectly. Have you always been, have you always been so confident in the
things that you were doing? Because to me, I think a great race car driver has to have
a confidence that people sometimes take as arrogance. I mean, is that something that you
learned or just the personality that you've had your whole life? I've just been super confident,
for sure. And then I've tried to not to communicate it in the non-arrogance way.
You know, it always came out arrogant, basically, or cocky. But we've been tailoring that a lot,
the last X amount of however long I've walked in, aspire basically, of trying to figure that part
out. But yeah, I've just had the confidence of, you know, the same confidence, whether I've won
zero at the time or won a hundred. To me, I just felt like we were good enough, or I was,
I'm doing the things, I have the ability to win races was my thought. I was confident in that.
It just was dependent on the journey. There's so many other factors. NASCAR has done a good job
since I was a kid, especially watching that, you know, the fastest car doesn't win the race and
it's getting less and less with how difficult it's going to be. So it's super hard to win.
But I just, I never got lost that we were good enough, whether it was a day that we were struggling
running in the 20s and I'm trying to carry this thing as well as I could or a day where I'm struggling
and the cars carry me or whatever. And I knew we were going to get there, for sure, and never
never lost sight of that. Well, before I get into too much more about the
rest of your history, I think it's probably the
one of the most celebrated celebrations that we've ever seen in our sport. And
you talked after the race about visualizing this celebration and plan. Did it go as you planned?
It went better than I thought. Not initially, though. No, not initially. I was like,
for a minute, you know, my legs were long and everything. So I knew I could, I was confident.
No, so no, it was, I got it over the leg brace, but I had it shelf. I, you know, I'm turned like
this and you know what the cars look like and everything. So I pushed the clutch in. Well,
when I dropped the clutch, because my foot's twisted like this, because I'm trying to like
lean back and get around the legboard and get to that thing. When I dropped the clutch,
my foot got stuck in the, you know, the top of my foot got stuck in between the brake and the
clutch. And so that's where it looked like I was stuck. Cause legitimately I was.
So then I had to get back in. And the steering wheel was not on. Steering was on that time.
Steering was on then. So that's when I realized the only way to not get my foot stuck
was take the steering wheel off. So that's why I got in, kind of reset, got out, kept the steering
wheel off, and then all of a sudden it started and fired. But also too, I thought, I thought I
had to put the clutch or I had to hit the gas to drop the clutch. I thought it would stall.
And so when I did it, I don't think I hit the gas. Like I think it just kind of chugged and got
enough rolling. And then I just could move my left foot, tap the gas a split second. And then
that's when it sped up and turned left. And then I shuffled around, got the steering wheel on.
But I was like, I got this thing rolling. This is going to be perfect.
I'm, this wall is getting very close. And I was like, this is going to be so bad.
We're worried at that point.
But no, after that, it went better than I expected. Once I got rolling, just because
how many people stayed and how many people were cheering and hollering and everything.
Because I don't get to hear it when I cross the line, whether there was a loud crowd or
quiet or however they react. I'm in the car. I got the engine going on. I got people yelling,
radio, I'm screaming and everything. So I don't get to hear it. And especially too,
if I'm inside the car, I especially don't hear it. So that's why I wanted to,
number one, get out. I'll be able to hear it. But two, I remember when in 2014,
when Junior won, and there's that in car footage of him seeing the crowd, I was in the stands.
And, you know, I couldn't, I never yelled or screamed because I never thought he could see me.
So there was no reason for me to start yelling. You know, I was pumped and excited, obviously,
won. But I never, I never got to see it. And I felt like if they get to know that I could see them,
especially if they're wearing like a shirt, that's why I was like pointing at stuff.
I was pointing at people that had my shirt on or a hat. Because, you know, if I saw my favorite
driver, I would be wanting them to acknowledge that I have their shirt on. Like, I'm like,
I'm here for you. You know, like, these other guys aren't here for you. They're just
bandwagoning here. You know, I'm here. So, you know, that was what was super fun for me.
You think you were going to fly out of the car when you hit the fence?
No, no, I was pretty locked in. I cut my hand, though, like on the roof rail. But I, yeah,
I was holding on that tight. Because I mean, you didn't mean to hit it that hard, though.
I didn't mean to hit it that hard. But so, but I, I was wide open right when I hit it,
because I wanted to keep it rolling. So that's why I like launch forward. Because,
I mean, it was already hard for me to like get that thing rolling. And I was like, I cannot.
No two-pedal in here. I can't, yeah, I got, I, I can't keep this thing. If this thing shuts off,
it's over. And so I was just like, it's perfect. If I just hold it wide open, it's just goes,
I might bounce off of it, but I'll spin the tires a little bit and then get it rolling. So it,
Rubber-necked it a little bit. Yeah, But I was just glad to,
I, I'm not sure if I could do that part again, how it, how it happened. Because I wasn't even 100%
like lined up. It kind of like wedged perfectly, getting straight. So it was cool. And I think that
the fans, gosh, you know, I think that one part that a lot of top tier drivers don't understand
is part of their job is to, is the showmanship piece of it and engaging with the people to
sell yourself and not turn your back on them and, and cheer. And they want to get excited.
They've been sitting there for four hours and they just saw great race and, and now they got a
first time winner and the first time winner is engaging. And I hear all the time, I'm, you know,
people are like, man, since you quit or I hadn't been able to really figure out their loss, they
don't know what to do. And that's the same thing with Tony Stewart fans and a lot of Jeff Gordon
fans. And there's a lot of fans that just, they don't know who to root for. And those moments
like that are how those fans find new drivers. And I don't think that a lot of the drivers in the
garage understand the showmanship piece of it. Yeah. Well, I mean, just for me, like I,
you know, I just, I would, you know, it sucks for me to, when I was a kid to watch people
win and they wanted to act like it wasn't a big deal or it wasn't, you know, it's too cool for them
or, you know, or they, you know, look like they don't even like NASCAR. It's like, dude, come on.
Like, so for me, like I was super vocal, even like when I started, I was like, you know, they
talk, you know, you obviously get contracts and everything and you have money and, you know,
you're negotiating, but I like, I hate all that. Like I'm just like, if I'm worried about that,
like that, like I was like, I don't care. Like, you know, obviously we, you know,
do the business side of it, but I was just like, if I don't enjoy this and it's not what I've
dreamt of, like I'm, I'm out. Like, like it doesn't matter how much money available is there.
Like, because, you know, I would just be breaking the heart of, you know, the six-year-old kid that
fell in love with NASCAR for me. So I was super big on that. And that's kind of why I just,
I do everything the way I do and was super vocal on, you know, there was times where it's like,
hey, you know, you're a cup driver now. This is how you act or this is how you post online or
this is what you do. You don't, you don't look this way or you got dressed this way. I'm like,
yeah, but like, you know, then I'll just quit. I'll just, I'll just go find something else. You
know, I'll go run dirt cars or payment cars or I'll go work somewhere else and do something. So
that, that's what really was big for me. But yeah, I mean, I, you know, I know too, like I,
you know, there was a time where I wasn't driving a NASCAR when junior was done in 16. And I was
the same way. I was like, what do I, what do I watch? Who do I root for? I don't, I don't know.
Like it just didn't feel the same. Like I was watching the same, but I didn't feel it. So I
just know that is a big factor too. It's like, you know, I've been asked times like, what made
you a junior fan? I was like, I don't know, just the way it felt when he got, you know, when he
ran good, I felt good. It wasn't anything he did. It was just, I just reacted to it. Like it was just,
I just picked him. I have, it was an accident. And I just fell in love with watching how he
raced and doing everything he did. And yeah, I mean, I think that's the way for a lot of fans.
They don't know why they picked the favorite driver. A lot of times it's little things. And
um, yeah, I mean, it could be one move on a race track. It could be one interaction at the track.
It could be one interaction off the track or away from the track. It could be
one celebration. It could be one anything. You don't know. And you build them one. I had
Fred Wagon also used to own action collectibles. He used to tell me all the time when I first
started, he said, you build the fans one at a time and it's one autograph, one interaction,
one comment, one moment on the racetrack. And, and that's how you build a fan base. And, and I
think that you seem to have a firm understanding of that. And the part that I love to hear you
say is, is you're a hardcore fan too. And that's those memories that you have as a kid are the
things that you saw and you want that kid to have in the grandstands. And that's, that's pretty
awesome. Yeah. I mean, that's the, that's the biggest thing. I mean, I, I, I've never said this,
but I, it's tough for me to watch in, when a little kid gets super excited in the garage,
like, because I'm trying to like focus and everything. And there's a lot of times where
like, I'll be walking. And like, if I see like, just how excited they are, like, I try really
hard not to just lose it. Because like, I just, it just is crazy to me that, like,
you know, that was how I was, you know, and, and I miss that, you know, I do. Like, I,
I miss just being a little kid and running around the garage. And so, yeah, so, I mean,
you know, I miss, you know, take, you know, my parents don't get to go to a lot of races anymore.
And, you know, my grandparents are getting older and everything. Like, I just miss that. So,
when I see that, like, you know, that's, you know, the coolest thing for me and just motivates me
to try to grow the sport and be the best race car driver I could be off, on and off the track,
just because of that. Like, it just, it's mind blowing to me that there's kids out there that
can love it and appreciate it. You know, I got to race quarter midgets and everything. So,
like, I had this dream of being a race car driver, but like, a lot of them, it's a pipe dream. But
yet, they're still just as excited or more excited than I was. They still have the dream.
And, you know, some of us get to live it out. Some of them get to become race fans. And it's,
you know, it's, you know, the little kids are what make our sport go around. Had a lot of emotion
on the radio. I've never heard you that emotional. I've heard you, you know, mad emotional or happy,
but never over the top emotional. And in your interview, you mentioned your parents,
you mentioned your grandparents. What's it been like after everything was over talking to all of
them in your friends and people and just you're having, you're making me think you have all
these flashbacks of, you know, getting to the top level of motor sports and winning and being able
to think and share those moments with those people that got you to that point. What's it been like
this week being able to share some of those stories with the people that helped get you?
Yeah, it's been super fun. You know, it's funny, my dad was actually sick suddenly,
so he didn't get to watch a lap and my mom had to go wake him up and
but just hearing his reaction on the phone and my mom and my grandpa sent me a video and, you know,
he was watching and he was pumped and he always says grandma's, you know, sent, you know, he would
she would always sit next to him during the races and he'd always have his arms bruised because
she would always be hitting them anytime anybody got close to us. You know, grandpa almost had
really good bias because she always thought everybody was trying to hit me when, you know,
obviously I'm normally the one being aggressive but they sent me a video and I got to enjoy it and,
you know, got to be on the phone with them and I had a lot of my friends there which was cool.
At the race? Yeah, they were all at the race. So there were a lot of them there. They were
super big on Daytona and Talladega. So we met during basically COVID playing iRacing and it's
grown to people I met here or there and everywhere. So like I have like six different little groups
and they all went to Talladega and that was fun that they were all got to be there but yeah,
it's just been super special like, you know, so many people reaching out,
whether it's, you know, Dale Raeber was the first one I ever gotten a quarter midget with and then
Zach Dunson called me and he was the one I've got late model and Johnny Benson was my mentor
growing up when I was younger and, you know, like Tim Klosson when I was getting ready to maybe go
dirt racing, you know, with him and the Spire relationship and everything now and, you know,
and there's so many more others but like those were like the core ones that I was like, man,
super crazy that like, you know, you can almost hear, you know, their reaction of it, you know,
because they still just remember them, you know, they're just giving me the stories of when I was
little, you know, racing. Yeah. Well, the other person that you mentioned all the time is Jeff
Dickerson and you talked about it a little bit in the beginning. You know, Jeff's been around the
sport for a long time, seen and heard a lot of things, seen good drivers, bad drivers and I
think that this process has been really interesting because you go from truck straight to cup and
that isn't by chance, that is by somebody realizing that you just don't need to waste any more time,
you need to be in a cup car and go figure it out and I assume that that's Jeff and
what has that mentorship and relationship been like because he's obviously got your ear on
when you do something wrong, I'm sure he's the first one to come in and say it based upon me
listening and I'm not going to put words in your mouth but based upon me listening, he's the first
one to come say it but you listen, it seems to him most of the time. What's that relationship like
because it seems to be working well and obviously important to you personally? Yeah, like so my dad
you know, he doesn't know a lot about racing so like I just laugh that Jeff's like
my father figure that knows racing, yeah he's my race dad basically and I think he would say the
same thing reverse and yeah I mean since this like I don't think we've ever really talked about how
we're gonna race like ever since Gateway when I drove their car the first time when I was subbed in
like it never really was ever teaching me how to race like you know I felt like I was fast enough
and I was gonna figure that out on my own and I think he felt the same but it was the other stuff
that you don't know that you need to be learning to be a cup driver it's the you know how to
conversate in the shop and not sound arrogant when you're confident how to you know get people
to believe in me the same way I believe in myself the you know how to react to things how when to
know you know when to know a direction on who your audience is right are you trying to talk to
the future employees are you trying to talk to your current team are you trying to talk to the
manufacturer you know who are you talking to in these moments yes know your room
you know are you gonna walk in as a 20 year old rookie or are you gonna convince everybody in
the room that you're a cup driver and that you belong in the car so you know there's times where
I've you know definitely like lost the room at times especially you know but this year especially
you know with how you know I felt like we really clicked on a lot of different things of me
figuring out okay that's wrong no you're right basically just Jeff you were you were right yeah
yep okay let me go with this approach let me let me just try and follow your kind of steps here
and you know kind of been a good leader and leadership and and how to everything and everything's
just kind of falling into place this year especially um but yeah I mean we we talked more about dirt
racing and life and little things than we'd ever do about cup car but it all still relates to it
you know it all still comes back to it um you know and that's what's most fun and and everything is
just he knows how much that racing means to me and how much it means to him so he's just like
if we can race everything we're gonna do it and you know he just told me that basically
my first year was just kind of if you just you know trust him we're gonna do everything we ever
want to do and you know now we're now we want to cup race together we're gonna we run a bunch of
trucks we have dirt late models payment late models you know you know a bunch more dreams we want to
do but like you know he you know he's done everything we said we're gonna do and that's what I think
most excited is just you know we always kept saying you know we're gonna do this you know every time
we come close to winning or as close we're just oh man we're gonna do this but like we generally
believed it we just don't have to say it anymore yeah well I think that the the hard part I mean
the circle of life is the hardest thing for a cup driver to balance right like it's because you've
got you've got money you've got problems you've got race cars you've got you've got all these different
things and keeping all that in check is is definitely the hardest thing about about being a cup driver
and you know you talk about we talk about Jeff I've known Luke a long time um I don't he doesn't
get excited a lot but he was he was pretty excited last week about everything and I think the process
of of everything that Spire has gone through is great but your team in particular has been pretty
fun to watch you take them all to Chili's yeah did they keep the Chili's open for you yeah they did
they kept it open that was in North Carolina like aze 36 the Morseville location they kept it
open the Spire that's the Spire hangout yeah that's Spire hangout and then so they kept it open you
we walk in and Luke's man handling this thing because you know it's 150 something pounds or
and he's rolling in it and you know everybody in the company's there you know hooting and hollering
but you know I've never seen Luke that excited like I just remember the the mental shot I have is
I round to victory lane and he jumps out and he's like leaning out and he has the biggest
smile I've ever seen uh you know just kind of just doing this the whole time and and like
that's the mental shot that kind of set the tone for victory lane because that was the first time
I got to really see anybody I'd be and I drove Tyler there but like group everybody gets excited
and everything and so that was the first person I saw was was Luke entering victory lane and it
just kind of set the tone how excited everybody was because I that's the first time I was seeing
yeah well you know I think as as you go through time and you go through the years and you go
through everything that that you've gone through the hardest part to navigate is all the controversy
and you've got this great way of blocking it all out you know when you have
a run in with somebody you say well you know I was trying hard and ran into them and I guess if
they don't like it then it is what it is and we'll we'll go to the next one is that how you were
brought up is that how you learned how to race because it's a great quality to have in in this
sport blocking everybody else out is something that just a noise to crap out of them from from the
day one I I lived it you know if you can if they can if you can rattle them and they can't rattle you
it's I mean you can't even put a value on it because it's it's just something that just totally
frustrates them but you know I think for for for the learning process and all the things that you
have to go through to to be good at at racing in cup you have to play the politics of it
and all the things that go with that has that is that enjoyable to you to play the
mind game and the the political game because you do it well I don't even know if you know it yeah
no um no it's we're we're not bad at it um no but they I've just I've just I mean I've been a fan
of the sport ever since I was a kid I I kind of knew what race car driver I wanted to be and I kind
of just saw flaws in the game of man like why is everybody letting everybody go like you know even
like when I was late mall racing everybody you know you'd have a 250 lap race you knew everybody
was just going to let everybody go in the first hundred and take care of each other even back
then and I was like you know well if everybody's just letting everybody go I'm gonna be the one
guy to just I'm gonna pass them all this could be way easier it's way easier at the front you
know at the start of the race I was like perfect and so I'm always just have thought about flaws
in the game and I I mean I ran into a lot of things like models for sure and but like I never
you know I I just never could feel guilty enough per se because like I would know everybody like
everybody should be trying to win like everybody knows when you know doesn't know when their last
race is or what the next race could bring or what that opportunity could have bring especially when
you were you know when I was trying to like make it you know you felt like every race was you know
all eyes were on you like everybody you know you think you're the center of the world and if you
win this race you know somebody's gonna call and hire you you know that's how you feel when
you're younger and I was just you know you know I just kind of always had that that kind of feeling
and you just don't lose it you know you know how to tailor it and massage it you know when when
and where to bring it up and everything and where to play the politic games at times and everything
but the the biggest thing was I was just I never was gonna let anybody rattle me to where
you know I want to win the race as if it's my last no matter what race it is so
you know why why would I care but if it's all done why would I let this guy affect me like I'd
want no what ifs at the end of it you know I like if this was my last race tomorrow I want to wake up
the next day and know I did everything in my power and nobody else affected me from outside I
just went as fast as I could and as hard as I could and if I didn't win it was because I was
not good enough and I can live with that but I can't live with letting anybody else affect me
because then it's just a big what if and I'll just live with that I can't live with that
so you've won a race what are the goals for the for the 77 team I know you're
saying what would yeah we'll win more when and then go so what are the weaknesses of your team
what do you need to get better at right now uh I feel like which tracks like package probably
martinsville was was really a difficult like that's circled I want to get better at the road courses
for sure on my end but realistically it's just getting all the details right we've thrown away
I mean we're eighth and points but like there's a world where we're fourth you know just because
I feel like we've thrown away a lot of points you know Kansas we had some you know pit road issues
I made a mistake on a restart and but like there's things we could do with our car like Bristol I
thought we could have been better Phoenix we struggled on the strategy side and ran out tires
and put scuffs on at the end you go from seventh you know solid day to that and you know so there's
a world where we we're getting to the green-white checkered and you know strategy how it worked out
or a mistake or something that we can kind of control as a whole team you know took us you know
five 10 15 points out of the game so when we're sitting there as a company saying we want to
win a championship or get there you know and however long it takes you can't throw away
points especially from where we're at if we're gonna not be a dominant car every given week yet
we have to capitalize on every point that's where we can get better can you can you contend
for the championship by the end of the year I mean it's all good tracks in the chase if we could
stay if we can stay where we're at or get higher in points I'm not gonna say it's realistic but I
don't think any of us would be shocked it would be an eternal you know kind of confidence maybe a
little arrogance of us being like no good racer car driver is not arrogant yeah I've always thought
that at least but yeah yeah I was like you know all of us you know Jeff said it perfectly that you
know when we got done a gateway you know he came up to me and you know kind of shocked you know
everybody was that we ran like 15th and then we broke the brake rotor and you know he kind of came
up to me and you know I looked at him and was like yeah man I yeah I was gonna do that and I thought
I was gonna keep going dang like I was like disappointed that it broke not disappointed
that I didn't get to finish race I was like you know we get to like the top 10 I thought and you
know have it and have a good day and you know that that was kind of just but like that was real
like I legitimately was like I don't I don't know why we couldn't I couldn't do this you know and then
my third cup race we're running fifth at Bristol and you know that's just kind of where where we're
at so like when we were sitting there when they got rid of the roval that was where it kind of
clicked for us of like okay I think we could do this like you know not win the championship and
say we're gonna do it but if other people have issues and we can keep rolling how we are and
keep getting better and the progression keeps you know I don't we might shock the world but
none of us would be shocked yeah so the race fans are obviously super intrigued and after last week
I mean it's gonna blow through the roof you know as you go through the next little bit of a run
right here you know through the next several races what is the main focus from
your side because you're in to your your brand and understand how the sponsorship thing works
if there's one thing that people don't know about you what should they know as far as they know who
you are as a race car driver for instance what do you do for fun outside of racing
I'll start you there didn't you give me one more so my best friend he runs he's a part of youtube
channel and they it's called whistling diesel and they wreck a bunch of cars and so lately I would
my my normal answer would say I have nothing I don't do anything I play iRacing with my buddies
and that's about it that's crap though there's something that you do so but we I try to drive to
Nashville almost every week I can and we buy cheap cars or we find stuff to do and we wreck them and
destroy them and race them around like Friday before Talladega I was supposed to race the dirt
late mall race and it got canceled and I texted him right away I was like I'm heading to the property
I'll see and we bought $500 cars and we raced them and he's got a big cliff and we put a big
rock on it wash it run down a hill and jump off and everything and so I'm building a property I just
want to be outside all day and drive cars I I just I like racing that's like that's what I do like
if I can't race I'm gonna play iRacing so I'm building a huge property I want to build dirt
tracks and literally you know I don't care who comes shows up I just I just want them to show up
and we can all drive do you work on the cars hands on no not a hands on guy no I just I never I
never can understand it I'm such a visual learner on a lot of things and you know I don't understand
data at all like that's why I don't really hot these cars I'm talking about the junkers oh no I
don't know how to I'm gonna I'm gonna know so the main reason I don't do that is um I don't want to
have to get like a shot or cut my hand they'll kill me uh I get away with a lot of stuff that I
probably shouldn't know like you know wrecking the hell out of these cars and everything and so
I'm not touching them you know like the first time I cut my hand or hurt myself
work I would hurt myself working on them not driving them I would hurt myself working on them
so I just know better so you tell me that you're kind of clumsy and a little bit accident prone
oh yes okay well there you go I was uncoordinated he's clumsy and accident prone that was it yeah
well congratulations I know that the the whole NASCAR world is intrigued and thought that this
was was coming and keep doing what you're doing congratulations no thank you I appreciate it
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