Carson Hocevar and the phrase “dark horse” haven’t really had much in common this season, as the 23-year-old superstar got off to a scorching hot start to 2026, culminating in his first career victory at Talladega in April.
“The Hurricane” has been downgraded to a tropical depression in recent weeks as Hocevar has an average finish of 31.25 over his last four races, dropping him to 12th in the Chase standings, after previously holding a spot near the top-5 for most of the season.
Now, the 77 team enters the postseason with much to prove, especially after last week’s massive wreck at Daytona. And the oddsmakers must agree. Hocevar’s odds to win on Sunday are at +3000 according to DraftKings, good for just 17th in the field.
Darlington serves as the perfect opportunity for a rebound for Hocevar after what we saw from the youngster during the series’s last visit to the track.
After starting at the rear and even going a lap down in the first stage, the Michigan native was 16th by the end of Stage 2, but came alive down the homestretch with a magical march, taking advantage of a new rules package that left other drivers struggling with grip due to tire wear. Hocevar ultimately finished fourth, showing great promise at one of the most unforgiving tracks on the circuit.
Now, as he looks to refocus on a championship run, Hocevar is a great dark horse candidate to not only compete, but win his first-ever Crown-Jewel race.