Carson Hocevar defends himself after Daytona disappointment

Carson Hocevar found himself in contention for a Daytona victory on Saturday, until he executed a move he hoped would secure the lead, only to end up wrecking the car. This crash led to the yellow flag being deployed, pushing the race into overtime. In the immediate aftermath, Hocevar appeared somewhat perplexed by the unfolding events.

He explained that the car's noses had a higher lift, and upon entering and exiting corners with this setup, he felt compelled to make a move to the bottom of the track, aiming to push the No. 12 car ahead, much like they had done earlier to gain the lead. Hocevar continued, "I just did it later in the corner, and the nose kept setting, and I couldn't get the wheel out of it fast enough, as it kept setting and getting freer."

Despite the setback, Hocevar reflected on the day in a social media post after the race, sharing a photo of himself taken by a friend following the crash. He noted that the photo, despite what many might consider a poor race result, reminded him of the privilege to race. Hocevar emphasized that he would make the same move again if given the chance, stating, "I'd pick that every day of the week if the alternative was not being up front or even, looking at the big picture, not being in this series like most of the talented racers who get to race but don't."

He expressed pride in his performance and stood by his actions, acknowledging that sometimes these moves work, and when they do, that's when races are won. With the Chase season approaching, Hocevar sits in 12th place heading into the postseason, knowing there's considerable ground to make up if he's to challenge for a championship.

His next target is the Chase, starting at Darlington, where he finished fourth earlier in the year, among five top-five finishes on the season.