Spire Owner Rules Out Carson Hocevar Indy 500 Appearance
What’s Happening? TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss pushed aside the possibility of NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar driving a fourth…
NASCAR Cup Series star Carson Hocevar teased interest in racing in a future NTT IndyCar Series race during a recent appearance on FOX’s coverage of the 2026 Indianapolis 500 practice.
Few drivers have captivated the NASCAR fan base quite like Carson Hocevar.
The 23-year-old has not only shown a level of personality that fans have begged for from drivers, but also proven he is a true racer, competing as often as possible across everything from Cup to Trucks to dirt.
Earlier this year, fans speculated that he could be a future contender to attempt the Indianapolis 500/Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 600 Memorial Day double.
While Hocevar has no history in open-wheel racing, fans felt that the feat, which only five (soon to be six) drivers have ever attempted, is right up his alley.
That takes us to Wednesday, during the second practice session for the 2026 Indy 500, when Hocevar made a cameo in the FOX Sports booth.
During his time in the booth, former driver-turned-analyst Townsend Bell asked about Hocevar’s interest in driving an IndyCar.
While Hocevar did not directly answer with a yes or no, he joked that all it would take was convincing Cassidy Towriss, the wife of TWG Motorsports Owner Dan Towriss, to let him race in an IndyCar someday.
“I just need to convince Cassidy, and then she’ll convince Dan,” Hocevar said.
However, Hocevar said he wouldn’t say no to an offer to race an IndyCar “one day,” noting that this would have to come after he has won more Cup Series races and perhaps the Brickyard 400.
“I would absolutely love to do it one day and enjoy it, but I want to win the Brickyard 400 and win some more Cup races and, if they’re ahead on the timeline, I wouldn’t say no.” — Carson Hocevar
While most of the fan discussion about Hocevar racing in the Indianapolis 500, the discussions picked up earlier this year when Dan Towriss, a co-owner of Andretti Global in IndyCar and Spire Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series, addressed them in an interview.
Back in April, when asked about an open entry that the team was planning to field in the 2026 Indianapolis 500, Towriss told reporter Jenna Fryer that he was ruling out “Hurricane Hocevar” as an option for the car, which the team no longer plans to enter.
Per a recent report from Marshall Pruett from Racer, non-charter entries will no longer be allowed in Series races outside the Indy 500 after the 2026 season. This new rule means that if Hocevar wanted to race in open wheel down the line, it would have to be at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (at least for now).
Nonetheless, the double is a tough undertaking, with only one driver, Tony Stewart, completing all 1100 miles.
The most recent driver to attempt this feat was Hendrick Motorsports Kyle Larson, who did so in 2024 and 2025. In 2024, Larson finished the 500 but did not make it to Charlotte to race due to weather, and in 2025, he wrecked during the early stages of the 500 and the later stages of the 600.
If Hocevar is serious about racing in both series one day, he has one benefit that very few drivers have ever had: an ownership group with a team in each series.
What’s Happening? TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss pushed aside the possibility of NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar driving a fourth…
Stay close to the on-track action this weekend and every weekend by following our Race Weekend Dashboard for everything you need to know before, during, and after the race. Share your thoughts by joining the discussion on Discord or X, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for further updates.