Opinion: Carson Hocevar is JRM's Best Choice to Replace Josh Berry

Carson Hocevar’s impressive run in 2023 has many analysts speculating about the youngster’s future. There is only one place that makes sense: Jr Motorsports’ #8 car.

Carson Hocevar in the Spire Motorsports No. 77 Xfinity car at Nashville. Image: Carson Hocevar FB

ALLENDALE, MI-- The racing resume of 20-year-old Carson Hocevar is growing by the second. Shortly before scoring his first career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win, Hocevar announced he’d be racing six races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Spire Motorsports. Due to the team’s shop not being able to house inventory for two series, Spire’s Xfinity Series team works out of the Jr Motorsports shop, where Josh Berry currently drives. Berry, who currently drives the number 8 Tire Pros Chevy for Jr Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, will move to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024, replacing the retiring Kevin Harvick. This leaves the door open for Hocevar to move up.

Hocevar made his Cup Series debut in June at Gateway, the site of an accident where he broke his ankle in the 2022 truck race, but finished 36th due to brake failure. During most of the race, Hocevar was battling Cup Series champion Kyle Larson and Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. Hocevar currently has two wins in the truck series in 2023 and has finished in the top-10 in two of his Xfinity Series races for Spire Motorsports (he made his debut at COTA for SS-Greenlight Racing). Added to those 2023 stat lines is that Hocevar has made the truck series playoffs the last two seasons, finishing 10th in points the last two years. Hocevar is also a standout on the short track scene as in 2020, Hocevar won all but two of the biggest short track races he entered.

Hocevar has entered the chat lines of the NASCAR fanbase on social media that he’ll be going Cup Series racing in 2024 for Spire Motorsports replacing Ty Dillon, however, Hocevar has yet to prove that he’s up for the challenge (at least at this stage of his career). He has made the truck series playoffs the last two years, and just barely lost Rookie of the Year in 2021 to Chandler Smith, however, Hocevar does not have enough statistics to back up the claims that he should go Cup racing. His best option is to replace Josh Berry at Jr Motorsports.

Hocevar is already developing a relationship with the team as Spire Motorsports’ Xfinity Series team works out of the JRM shop and Hocevar has been praised by people who are high up at JRM, including Dale Jr. He has funding from Premiere Security in the event JRM can’t use their current partners to fund the entire season, and there could be potential for Hocevar to race part-time in Cup if a team is willing to take the chance. As for Hocevar’s current truck series team, Niece Motorsports, they have two options for the number 42 truck, which could be to make the truck part-time or hire Chad Chastain or another developmental driver to take it over.

Currently, rumor has it that Hocevar is the front-runner for the ride. There have also been reports that Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s nephew, Jeffrey, will take the ride over, but when asked about it, Jeffrey Earnhardt said, “It would be cool to drive for him, but the team needs to do what makes sense at the end of the day.”
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Based on all the factors surrounding both Hocevar and JRM’s current situations, it only makes sense for Jr Motorsports to hire Carson Hocevar to replace Josh Berry.

By: Alex Wood