NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year Carson Hocevar is returning to the Craftsman Truck Series, with sponsors IKEA and Best Buy aboard his No. 77 during the series season opener at Daytona International Speedway.
Hocevar’s return to the Craftsman Truck Series will see him pilot the No. 77 for Spire, signaling that the team will not field a full-time Truck Series driver in 2026 and instead chase wins throughout the year.
While Hocevar’s entry was a pleasant surprise for NASCAR fans, his sponsor was an even bigger surprise, as IKEA and Best Buy will sit on the hood and rear fenders of Hocevar’s No. 77.
The two well-known retail brands are joining forces with Spire and Hocevar to celebrate their new collaboration, IKEA at Best Buy, which has launched in select stores throughout the U.S.
Though this is IKEA’s first foray into the NASCAR National Series, Best Buy is no stranger to the sport, having served as a primary sponsor across the sport’s three National Series.
In a press release from Spire, Hocevar said regarding the sponsorship, “My first time ever building furniture was an IKEA set, and I obviously play a lot of video games and get my electronics from Best Buy. To have both of them connected and riding with me on the No. 77 Silverado at Daytona is really special. I’ve enjoyed watching the Spire Motorsports trucks there the last two years, and I’m excited to be part of it now.”
While nothing is guaranteed, Hocevar seems like a solid contender for the season opener at Daytona. In his 81 career Truck Series starts, the 23-year-old is a five-time winner, and in his three career truck starts at Daytona, the former NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year has an impressive 8.7 average finish, including two top tens.
Nonetheless, the Truck Series entry list for Daytona is stacked, as alongside his Cup Series teammate, and 2021 Daytona 500 champion, Michael McDowell, Hocevar will go toe to toe with drivers like Tony Stewart, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Travis Pastrana, and John Hunter Nemechek.
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