Watch: Carson Hocevar blows engine in Coca-Cola 600

NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar (77) during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Watch: Carson Hocevar blows engine from the lead in Coca-Cola 600

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated May 25, 2025 10:36 PM ET

Perhaps the most promising run of Carson Hocevar's young NASCAR Cup Series career came to an end in heartbreaking fashion.

Hocevar was on the front row for the Lap 308 restart with Denny Hamlin, but smoke began to pour from his car in the middle of turn 2. As Hocevar tried to get to the top of the track, several cars piled into a crash on the backstretch.

The engine blows on the No. 77!

Heartbreak for @CarsonHocevar! pic.twitter.com/40mfANrDcL
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 26, 2025

"It (expletive) blew up," Hocevar said over the radio.

Hocevar finished fourth in Stage 2 and third in Stage 3, battling for the lead with William Byron and Hamlin through the third stage of the race.

Bubba Wallace and Chris Buescher were among the drivers who received damage in the crash that occurred while Hocevar was trying to get out of the way.

It was undoubtedly a disappointing ending for Hocevar, who is still looking for his first career Cup Series victory in his second season.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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