Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour presented by NASCAR on FOX - Carson Hocevar Interview After Winning at Talladega | VICTORY LAP

Episode Date: April 28, 2026

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. Junior texting me, he's like, you know, congratulations, you're top of the world for about six days. I've done the, you know, thumbs up and congratulations. I have never gotten the other way around. What's going on, closes, your boy, Mama Smith, back in the saddle for another victory lap episode. And, man, we got another first time winner. The sheriff is in town.

Carson freaking Holsavar. What's up, buddy? What up, brother? How are you? No, how are you feeling? I feel good. You know, just still feel like I'm on top of the world. That was the thing junior texting me.

He's like, you know, congratulations, you're top of the world for about six days. You know, until the next race. So, you know, I'm taking advantage of 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, of that victory lab. 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 of, we're just savoring 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, you know, reaction, the stands or the video, or, you know, I could just remember what it felt like in that moment, what it hurt, 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 Daytona 500, right? You're right there at the end of that. You're right there in Atlanta. And it just felt like you had figured something out. Have you figured something out in the speedway racing in the cup cars or, you know, where are you at 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 of top 10 at Super. speedways. You know, last year at Daytona, I broke a fuel pump. That was your four, but broke 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 Talladega's in a good shot. Just the lines didn't push, you know, in our favor. Second 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 in the chess board. I feel like that's just what I feel the most comfortable and confident in. when you got to your phone, when someone handed your phone, who is the first person on the phone that you were talking to? Because usually it's always like, you know, Hendriggins 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 know, my mom was at home. I was like, hey, where's dad? And she was like, she didn't want to tell me. And she's like, well, he's been really sick today. And he slept through it all. You know, he still sleeping.

Oh, no. But she was so excited and everything. And, you know, my grandpa was excited, my uncle. And, you know, they kind of just 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 do that really quickly.

and, you know, obviously find out that, 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 7-71 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 was more, you know, I have so many groups of friends that were there for their 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 Viculand, which was really cool. And, yeah, we took so many photos, which was a lot of fun. I feel like, 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've won one, and 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 accepted. just 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 kind of shocked, honestly, that did that, and I appreciated that. And, yeah, just for cool to be able to have that.

And, you know, I, yeah, between Alex and Chase on pit road and I think Noah was on pit road. And, you know, Cindrick and Ross coming to victory lane. you know, everybody, you know, kind of giving me thumbs up or, you know, Doran, um, me come, you know, Ross and Reddick and Kyle Busch and all them. Um, 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, um, yeah, 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 doored. 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, 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 a, what I like to call it 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 hears you win before he sees it. But there was so many people like that. Even Cletus, you got that call from Cletus. That was pretty cool during your press conference. Yeah, it was cool. I got to, you know, almost see his first win in the arc 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, you know, best friends, Brady, you know, him and Cleas know, 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, they're just like, man, 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 Chili's, 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 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 a lot. You know, you can't put value on just being a, you know, a franchise player, basically. you know, I think 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, he said, you know, Dan asked him how, you know, he thinks we're going to be this year. And, you know, Jeff was just like, you know, you know, everybody's gotten better and, you know,

we're going to be good, you know, but, you know, we're still going to have to grow 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. 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 her 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 conversation stuck with me. And, like, we know, we had a shot to win the clash. And then the Daytona 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 can come from,

from everybody else, you know, down underneath that, you know, we don't have to sit there at, you know, a 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 blocks.

I'm sure you got a 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 wanted 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 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 at least maybe 180-something pounds. Carson Holsavar, welcome to the Winners Club and the NASCAR Cup series.

So happy for you, brother. Appreciate it, brother. Thank you. Hey y'all, it's Kelly Clarkson with Wayfair. Ever order furniture online and wonder what if? Like, what if it doesn't hold up? That sofa was four days old. You should have ordered from Wayfair.

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