They’re talking about a recurring part of the show where they judge the driver’s celebratory driving—like doing a burnout. This time they’re judging the celebration instead of the burnout.
A Victory Lap is what a race winner does after the checkered flag—driving around to celebrate and let everyone see them. It’s also when fans and cameras get the best reactions.
The fuel pump’s job is to send gas to the engine. If it fails during a race, the engine can starve for fuel and the car may lose power or even get damaged.
The white flag means there’s one lap left in the race. It’s usually the point where everyone is trying to finish strong, but things can still go wrong.
Concept
Spawned (race incident)
They’re saying they got spun out or wrecked—basically the car got turned around or hit hard enough to ruin the finish. At these high-speed tracks, that can happen fast if someone touches you.
Talladega is a famous NASCAR track where cars run very close together at high speed. Because of that, drafting and timing matter a lot for getting the win.
“Atlanta” is the name of a NASCAR track. When he talks about past results there, he’s saying their car and strategy have been getting better at that specific track.
Concept
manipulating air
Race cars aren’t just about engine power—they also use shape to control airflow. When a driver talks about “manipulating air,” they mean the car is designed to push the tires onto the track and stay stable at speed.
Concept
two or three steps ahead and in the chessboard
He’s describing strategy like playing chess: you don’t just react to what’s happening right now. You try to predict what other drivers will do so you can make the best move at the right time.
“Garage relationships” means how drivers and teams get along off the track. Even though they compete hard, they still build respect and familiarity in the team area.
A “thumbs up” is a quick hand signal people use to show they’re okay with what just happened. In racing, it often means “good job” or “I respect you,” especially after something intense.
In NASCAR, “Victory Lane” is where the winner goes right after the race to celebrate. It’s basically the track’s victory celebration area with interviews and photos.
“Industry win” just means the whole racing world is happy for the team and driver—not only fans watching at home. It’s a win that matters to the people who work in the sport.
A press conference is when the driver talks to reporters after the race. It’s usually right after the event so they can share what went on.
Concept
jumped from trust into the cup series
They’re talking about a race driver moving up to the highest NASCAR level. It’s a big step, and most drivers spend more time in the lower series first.
The Ford Taurus is a regular passenger car (a sedan) made by Ford. It’s designed for everyday driving like commuting and family trips. People mention it because it’s a well-known model name in the U.S.
Concept
Clash
The Clash is an early-season NASCAR race that happens before the main points season really gets going. Teams use it to see how well their cars are working right away.
Concept
duel
The “duel” is a NASCAR qualifying event that helps decide starting positions for a major race. Where you start can make a big difference in how the race plays out.
Before the season really starts, teams have meetings to talk about what they’re aiming for. It’s basically planning and setting expectations so everyone knows what success looks like.
Luke Lambert is the crew chief mentioned in the conversation. That means he’s one of the key people helping the driver and team make decisions.
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Junior Texan, he's like, you know, congratulations to your top of the world for about six days.
I've done the, you know, thumbs up and congratulations.
I've never gotten the other way around.
What's going on, Closes?
Your boy, Momma Schmidt, back in the saddle for another Victory Lap episode.
And man, we got another first-time winner.
The sheriff is in town.
Carson Freaking Hulsavar.
What's up, buddy?
What up, brother? How are you?
No, how are you? How are you feeling?
I feel good.
You know, just still, still feel like I'm on top of the world.
I was thinking, Junior Texan, he's like, you know, congratulations to your top of the world for about six days.
You know, until the next race.
So, you know, I'm taking advantage of every, every, every bit of it.
You did, man.
And let me say, like, we changed our, because we have a segment, you know, called the Burnout, we grade the Burnouts.
We changed it to grading the celebrations because of you.
Your celebration was awesome.
You really, it really seemed like you took in every moment of that Victory Lap.
I felt like I've, you know, lost enough that I really wanted to savor it.
I feel like I, you know, if there's anything I'm proud of, we'll just savor in every bit of it because I remember every second of it.
Like, it doesn't feel like a blur at all.
I can recall every little detail pretty much, you know, if you just handed me the video, I can tell you exactly how I felt and everything.
And, you know, every time I see the, see anybody's reaction, the stands or the video or, you know, I could just remember what it felt like in that moment.
What it heard, you know, the sights and sounds of it and, you know, what I was feeling.
And, you know, I just get, you know, pretty much as if I just, just happened, you know, I get to that same, you know, emotion state of it.
I love it, man.
I feel like the way you've been racing the Speedways, you've had some, you almost won the Daytona 500, right?
You were right there at the end of that.
You were right there in Atlanta and it just felt like you had figured something out.
Have you figured something out in the Speedway racing and the cup cars or, you know, where you are on, on Super Speedway racing?
Yeah.
I mean, you know, if you throw away the two Daytona races last year, you know, basically if you just throw away Daytona, we haven't finished outside the top 10 at Super Speedways.
You know, last year at Daytona, I broke a fuel pump.
That was your fault.
But broke a fuel pump and then blew a motor, you know, and this year we're leading at the white flag and get spawned.
But, you know, other than that, you know, it's like six at both tile daggers and a good shot.
Just the lines didn't push, you know, in our favor.
Second in Atlanta last year and then 10th, you know, after getting wrecked and, you know, being up front, a shot to win Atlanta this year.
And yeah, I mean, just, I feel like we've just been really building on it.
And I think the, you know, just, I feel like if, if I'm good at anything, it's just kind of manipulating air and, you know, being able to take runs and see things before they happen and, you know, kind of be two or three steps ahead and in the chessboard.
I feel like that's just what I feel the most comfortable and confident in.
When, when you got to your phone, when someone handed your phone, who was the first person on the phone that you were talking to?
Because usually it's always like, you know, what Hendrick is Mr. H, like, but Jeff was right there.
Dickerson is in victory lane with you.
So who's that first call that you got?
I got to call my mom.
You got, you know, my mom was at home.
I was like, Hey, where's, where's dad?
And she was like, she didn't want to, you know, tell me.
And she's like, well, he's been really sick this, you know, today and he slipped through it all.
You know, he's still asleep.
But she was so excited and everything.
And, you know, my grandpa was excited, my uncle and, you know, they kind of just let, let my dad sleep, especially considering I was sitting on the door and everything.
You know, he got to just see it after and know everything.
You know, I was completely fine.
So, but yeah, no, I got to, I got to do that really quickly.
And, you know, obviously find out that, you know, you know, we had so many, you know, pictures and everything, but I had so many friends there too.
You know, we had, you know, all three race teams that we had, you know, between 771 and, you know, Chili's had so many people there and we had other sponsors there.
You know, but I had a lot of friends, there's more, you know, I have so many groups of friends that were there for the first ever race in NASCAR, that never been to a NASCAR race.
And they had the time of their lives, you know, being able to go down there in Victoria Lane, which was really cool.
And yeah, you know, we took so many photos, which was a lot of fun.
I feel like you've, I mean, you've talked about this before your relationships in the garage with some of the other drivers or the lack there of, you know, relationships, but everyone could tell that they all respect you because that moment you're coming through
three and four, and I feel like the entire field that was left at least either gave you a bump or a thumbs up.
It's like kind of your, you made it moment, right?
Like, have you thought about that about the relationship in the garage and now you won one and that that moment that everyone kind of gave you?
Yeah, I mean, me and Jeff had talked about it.
You know, I feel like, you know, they were especially getting to a point where they respect this.
I just don't know if they accept this yet, you know, running up front and being a contender and, you know, everything.
But yeah, there was a lot of them that I was, I was kind of shocked, honestly, that that did that.
And I appreciated that.
And yeah, just pretty cool to be able to have that.
And, you know, between Alex and Chase on Pit Road and I think Noah's on Pit Road and, you know, Syndric and Ross coming to Victory Lane.
And, you know, everybody, you know, kind of giving me thumbs up or, you know, Doran, me coming, you know, Ross and Reddick and Kyle Bush and all that.
Yeah, just, I mean, a lot of them, you know, and there was more, I'm sure that, you know, I kind of missed.
I was, you know, just kind of enjoying it and probably screaming.
But yeah, just, you know, just a wild, you know, you just see it all the time.
You know, when I was growing up, you'd see people do that and everything, you know, and I've done it.
I've given the thumbs up and Doran.
It's, I've never got to, you always imagine what it's going to be like on the other side, either as a fan doing that.
But more so just, you know, I've done the, you know, thumbs up and congratulations.
I've never gotten the other way around.
Yeah, well, it's about time.
It's about time you got that.
I think this was what I like to call an industry win.
You know, I think the entire industry is very happy for you and the men and women at Spire.
We were talking about our buddy, Kyle Beckman on a complete, you saw the video, man.
He was completely wore out watching that and he's watching the race, but he's listening to you on the radio live.
And so he sees you win or here's your win before he sees it.
But there was so many people like that, even Cleetus, you got that call from Cleetus.
That was pretty cool during your press conference.
Yeah, it was cool.
Yeah, I got to, you know, almost see his first win in the Ark car.
I was pumped for him.
And, you know, we've been talking about it a lot.
You know, he always just was just like, dude, you're always so close.
And one of my best friends, Brady, you know, him and Cleetus know each other very well.
And, you know, they kind of, you know, especially bonded now that they're both watching NASCAR more often.
And, you know, they, I remember them both saying to each other, you know, there's like,
I mean, he's just like the unluckiest guy.
Like anytime he has a shot, you know, something happened.
So, you know, it was really fun to, you know, kind of, you know, talk to him about it and everything.
You're only 23.
You're the face of this organization.
You're the face of chilies, which is super cool.
I got my, you know, I got my ride the Dente shirt from last year on right now.
And Jeff Dickerson put you in that situation.
He saw something very early on and took a shot on this kid, which we talked about on the show.
Like you jumped from, you jumped from trust into the cup series.
Like that doesn't really happen that much.
So to validate what Jeff saw on you, what does that mean to you?
Yeah, I mean, it means, it means a lot.
You know, you can't put value on just being a, you know, a franchise player basically.
And, you know, I think it's, it's big for all of us.
You know, it's, you know, I remember a conversation with, with Jeff, you know, talking to Dan Taurus and Cassidy and everybody.
And I remember preseason, you know, just before the clash, he, he said, he, you know, Dan asked him how he, you know, he thinks we're going to be this year.
And, you know, Jeff was just like, you know, you know, you know, everybody's gotten better and, you know, we're going to be good.
And, you know, but, you know, we're still going to have to go through some things and, you know, kind of just, you know, going through the motions of it, you know, just like, you know, kind of setting himself up for like, you know, trying not to oversell it, obviously.
Yeah.
And he told me, he remembered, you know, hanging up the phone and then, you know, sitting there kind of looking at the shop, looking at us, looking at the cars.
And he called him right back and said, Hey, I want to change your answer.
You know, I think we're going to be really, really good.
And we're going to win.
And, you know, I think that, that, that conversation stuck with me and like, you know, we had a shot to win the clash.
And then they toned a 500 and then the duel and Atlanta.
And, you know, that was kind of the momentum we had right at the start, right after that conversation that, you know, not too long after, you know, almost maybe two months that that kind of came to fruition that that conversation and, you know, it's validation for, for Jeff,
but also, you know, Jeff can go to Dan and, you know, and then it could come from, from everybody else, you know, down underneath that, you know, we don't have to sit there at, you know, preseason meeting and convince everybody of what we're going to do.
And this is why we hired these people and these people are going to make us better and this is going to do this.
And, you know, now it's just going to be like, okay, how do we get higher in points and how do we win more than we did last year, not, you know, go from zero to hero.
Yeah, building those, building those blocks. I'm sure you got a lot to, lot to do the rest of this week. But before I let you go, what some fans don't know is the trophy at Talladega may be the heaviest thing that a driver one for trying to pick up.
How heavy was that and were you able to do it by yourself or did you need Luke Lambert your crew chief to help you out on that one?
I mean, I was wore out and I couldn't get it up. You know, I could not, I could not get it with feeling like I wasn't going to hurt something.
And Luke was excited enough that he was just, he wanted to hold it anyway. So I let him have it. But yeah, I mean, it's probably 200 something pounds.
And we were going to weigh it and see how much but it's, it's at least maybe 180 something pounds.
Cars and wholesome are welcome to the winners club in the NASCAR Cup series. So happy for you, brother.
Appreciate it, bro. Thank you.
About this episode
Carson Hocevar talks through his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega, savoring the celebration and remembering every detail instead of letting it blur by. He explains how superspeedway racing has become a strength, pointing to strong finishes at Daytona, Atlanta, and Talladega. The conversation also covers the emotional phone call to his mom, the reaction from other drivers, Jeff Dickerson’s belief in him, and the surprisingly heavy Talladega trophy.
Carson Hocevar breaks down his first career NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega Superspeedway, detailing race strategy, emotional victory reactions, and his viral post-race celebration in one of the most talked-about NASCAR moments of the season. On this episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, Mamba Smith sits down with Carson Hocevar to analyze the Talladega race, unpack the mindset behind his breakthrough win, reflect on the emotions of reaching Victory Lane for the first time, and discuss what fans can expect from his NASCAR Cup Series future.
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