Legacy Motor Club announced their driver for the Southern 500 this weekend at Darlington, Carson Hocevar. Hocevar also happens to be one of NASCAR’s most interesting free agents, so, what about Hocevar to the 42 car in 2024?
Legacy Motor Club is a team that is looking for a fresh start with a talented driver. Carson Hocevar is definitely a talented driver as he has shown in the Craftsman Truck Series this season. He is a raw prospect, but, he is not going to be driving for a team expecting wins week after week.
Hocevar seems to be more of a developmental project with a very high ceiling. Putting him into a car that will give him the chance to develop for a while as the team develops around him could be good for Hocevar. Instead of trying to over-extend his equipment, he can work on his race craft using what he has.
As long as the expectations are fair, he could be a solid, developmental prospect. However, this is certainly not the only option Hocevar and LMC will have to consider for 2024, and is it truly the best option for Hocevar and the race team?
Everyone can see how much that LMC has struggled this season. Erik Jones went from winning the Southern 500 in 2022 to zero top-5 finishes in the regular season in 2023. The move in manufacturers is also a major change that could affect how the team operates.
Hocevar has drawn interest from other race teams as he has been speculated to be a candidate at both JR Motorsports and Spire Motorsports for the 77 car. Each of those teams comes with its own set of benefits.
Spire has a lot of the same benefits as LMC. It is an up-and-coming team where Hocevar will not be expected to win right away. The difference is that Spire’s arrow is pointing upwards with the recent partnership with Gainbridge and the re-signing of Corey LaJoie. JRM would be the next natural step up the development ladder, and it is a team that Hocevar could win races and a championship at.
Legacy Motor Club is a struggling race team, but their move to Toyota opens up some options not previously thought of. John Hunter Nemechek was reported by Jordan Bianchi as a driver who could take over that 42 car in 2024, even before the social media incident happened.
If they were go to out and get Hocevar, they would be moving out of the Toyota camp and into the Chevrolet camp. Would Toyota be behind making this sort of move? That is the thing that could hold this up the most on the Legacy Motor Club side.
There are multiple sides to consider when thinking about whether or not to bring Hocevar on full-time in 2024. It makes sense to have him drive this weekend as the Truck Series is off, and most Xfinity Series drivers are busy running in their own Xfinity Series car. It will be interesting to see if LMC goes back to Hocevar at some point later this season.
