Coming fresh off of a NASCAR honor was not enough to shake off last year’s misfortune. Carson Hocevar made some jaws drop during his rookie outing this year, clinching 6 top-tens and 1 top-five in the Cup Series. His remarkable performance fetched him a Rookie of the Year award, as he outsmarted his nearest competitor, Josh Berry, by 107 points. However, Hocevar could not translate the same success into his Snowball Derby attempt.
Bad luck repeats for Hocevar at Snowball Derby
After crashing out of the qualifier last year, Carson Hocevar faced a similar fate this time. He intended to field brand-new No. 14 car for this year’s Snowball Derby festivities. However, instead of wheeling it himself, Hocevar was overlooking Chase Pinsonneault to handle the vehicle. Despite his absence, a repeat stroke of misfortune hit the car. On the Snowflake 100 side during the Pro Late Model testing, Pinsonneault got involved in a crash.
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Carson Hocevar lamented about crumpling his new ride, while making sure not to blame Pinsonneault for anything. He posted on X: “bummer deal. chase has been doing a good job. just apart of learning. long week to get backup dialed in!” Pictures of the mangled car floated online, and the rear was visibly done in. The fuel cell was also completely twisted. Now, Pinsonneault will resort to a backup car, but he will need more time to make it work. Now things will get complicated for Hocevar’s second attempt at the Snowball Derby.
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Last year, Carson Hocevar got a taste of his own medicine. He is typically known for his aggressive side, as showcased several times. He wrecked out Corey Heim in last year’s NASCAR Craftsman Championship race. Then he also rammed into Harrison Burton during the Nashville Cup race. But during the 2023 Snowball Derby’s Last Chance Qualifier, Sammy Smith was behind the wreck. On Lap 21 when Augie Grill made contact with Carson Hocevar, the JR Motorsports driver tried to jockey past both. However, Smith tangled with Hocevar at the front stretch after hooking with him, and both slammed hard against the wall.
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Evidently, history repeats itself. Although it has not repeated itself entirely, Hocevar’s chances of running the Snowball Derby are now diminished.