NASCAR
First-Time Winners in the 2023 NASCAR Cup and Craftsman Truck Series
While the NASCAR Xfinity Series saw five first-time winners in 2023, the same was not true for Cup or Trucks. The other two National Series only saw one newcomer apiece in victory lane this season. These drivers were responsible for some of the most memorable moments of 2023 however, both good and bad. Here’s a look back at these two driver’s banner days and their promising futures ahead in NASCAR.
Carson Hocevar
To say a career’s worth of drama and emotions followed Carson Hocevar in 2023 would be an understatement. Hocevar began this season by emphatically saying that unless he found victory lane multiple times, then himself or his crew chief deserved to be fired. Hocevar came into 2023 with a negative reputation, being classified as a driver known for wrecking people and not closing out races.
It would not take long for the Niece Motorsports No. 42 to put a full race together, winning at Texas in April. This victory carried a black cloud in some people’s eyes though, as Hocevar made last-lap contact with the leaders. The Michigan native was still a Playoff lock however thanks to this early season triumph.
Hocevar went to victory lane twice more before the Playoffs, at Nashville and the Richmond regular season finale. Entering the postseason with a series-best three checkered flags had Hocevar pinned as a title threat by many. Hocevar would back up this claim at Homestead, locking Niece Motorsports into their second Championship 4 appearance.
The goodwill built up by Hocevar among fans and the industry alike took a heavy hit at Phoenix though. Rightly or wrongly, Hocevar shouldered the brunt of the blame for the sloppiness and chaos that enveloped the Truck Series finale. Late in the race, the No. 42 made contact with title rival Corey Heim, sending the 11 spinning from the championship lead. Hocevar took immediate responsibility for “messing up” and ending one team’s season.
A few Cup Series drivers did not believe this move was incidental at all by Hocevar. Veterans Martin Truex Jr and Denny Hamlin were especially vocal about Hocevar’s actions, calling the entire night an embarrassment.
Looking ahead, Hocevar will be a big part of a very intriguing rookie class in the NASCAR Cup Series. He is being promoted to take over the Spire Motorsports No. 77. This move comes after substitute Cup rides led to surprisingly strong results for Hocevar in 2023. With Phoenix still hanging over his head though, it will be very telling to see how Hocevar handles himself throughout 2024.
Shane Van Gisbergen
One race from 2023 had more unknowns and outside factors at play than any other in a long time. NASCAR’s first ever street race in downtown Chicago was a memorable experience on both ends of the spectrum. Torrential rain and flooding largely hampered many off-track activities. On the flip side, a driver many had never heard of ended the historic Cup race holding the inaugural trophy. Three-time Supercars champion Shane Van Gisbergen made the trek to America from New Zealand, and put the NASCAR world on notice.
Driving Trackhouse Racing’s Project91 Chevrolet Camaro, Van Gisbergen achieved a feat not seen in six decades. SVG went 1-1 in the NASCAR Cup Series, standing tall as winner in his series debut. The last driver to pull off this improbable first showing was Johnny Rutherford. SVG is only the seventh man to join this elite club of winners in Cup Series start number one.
Van Gisbergen’s NASCAR future was an immediate topic of conversation following Chicago. The Kiwi made two more starts in August, on the Indianapolis Road Course (finishing 10th) and an oval debut in a Truck at IRP. Coincidentally in his Truck start, Van Gisbergen was teammates with Hocevar.
SVG’s Supercars team ended their contact with him a year early. This move freed him up to become fully immersed in NASCAR for 2024. Van Gisbergen’s exact schedule is still unknown, but will likely include starts among all three National Series.
Two drivers with very bright futures represented the new winners in 2023 Cup and Truck Series competition. One of them battled for a championship, while the other put together one of the most unforeseen drives in NASCAR history. Both Hocevar and Van Gisbergen will be regular sights on Sundays in 2024; it will be a treat to watch both of them mature in the new year.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credits to Sean Gardner and Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
