Carson Hocevar is a NASCAR Cup Series race winner.
Hocevar held off Chris Buescher on the final lap to win the Jack Link’s 500 on April 26 at Talladega Superspeedway.
The No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet was in the 27-car crash on Lap 115 that ended the days of several contenders, but he escaped with little damage. After a pit stop, Hocevar steadily drove to the front before spending the final 30 laps at the head of the pack.
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Not only was a big day in Hocevar’s career, but he left Talladega in eighth in points, 70 points ahead of the Chase cutline.
Here are the winners and losers from the NASCAR Talladega race:
CUP POINTS: NASCAR points standings, Cup Series points update after Talladega race
NASCAR Talladega winners and losers as Carson Hocevar breaks through
Winner: Carson Hocevar
Is Hocevar the next superstar driver? WIll the Talladega win be the first pivot point of his Hall of Fame career?
No one can say for sure. But it’s definitely interesting to think about. The tools are there.
Talent and aggression combined can be a dangerously good combination in motorsports. Hocevar has both.
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His celebration, driving down the frontstretch while hanging out of the driver’s side window, is already legendary. How many cars at short tracks across America are going to get damaged by winning drivers trying to copy that?
Hocevar’s maiden victory is a great reminder of what can be next for him. One thing I feel comfortable predicting: It won’t take 91 races for him to get win No. 2.
Winner: Alex Bowman
Alex Bowman’s relief was evident the moment he exited his car post-race following his third-place run at Talladega.
“Honestly, to be blunt, it just feels good to get out of here without crashing,” Bowman told FOX after the race.
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Bowman had a season-best result in his third race back after missing four races with vertigo.
Making the Chase isn’t likely for Bowman (who made the playoffs in seven of the last eight seasons), but it would be quite the story if he were to make a run at it. With 16 races remaining before the cutoff, Bowman is 146 points behind 16th place. Unlikely? Yes. Possible? Sure.
Losers: Toyota (for first time in 2026)
Hocevar’s win aside, the most notable thing about the final running order was the absence of Toyota inside the top 10.
Christopher Bell was caught up in the last-lap crash in the tri-oval, knocking Toyota out of the top 10.
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Tyler Reddick, despite getting heavy damage in two separate incidents, was the highest running Toyota driver in 14th. Denny Hamlin was a lap down for most of the race after a speeding penalty on pit road after the first stop. Ty Gibbs, Bubba Wallace and Chase Briscoe were caught up in the 27-car crash.
What does it mean? Nothing. Talladega can be that way. But it’s a notable occurrence after two months of dominance in the Cup Series.
Loser: Joey Logano
It’s not time to put Logano on the Chase bubble yet, because he has the history of getting the necessary results when needed.
But the reality is that through 10 of 26 regular-season races, Logano is 15th in points, 12 points ahead of the cutline, after getting caught up in the Big One and finishing 39th at Talladega.
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Logano has posted three finishes of 30th or worst mixed in with a top-5 and a top-10 finish.
Logano’s best finishes have come on a pack-racing track (3rd at Daytona) and two short tracks (3rd at Martinsville and 7th at Bristol). The No. 22 team has struggled on traditional ovals longer than a mile.
Four of the next five races are on those kinds of ovals, with a trip to Watkins Glen mixed in.
A DNF at Talladega was not what Logano needed. The concern level is mild so far, but Logano’s form has to improve soon.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Talladega winners, losers as Carson Hocevar changes the sport with first win
