SPORTS

Hocevar earns pole at Texas after Talladega breakthrough

PUBLISHED May 2, 2026, 4:25 PM ET

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Fort Worth, Texas — Carson Hocevar earned the pole and will start on the front row at Texas Motor Speedway after qualifying Saturday, a week following his first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Talladega in his 91st Cup start; he also won the Truck Series race Friday and recorded strong practice and qualifying runs. On Saturday Hocevar posted a 25.222-second lap (191.240 mph) to edge teammate Daniel Suárez by 0.003 seconds for the Busch Light Pole Award; team members said confidence has risen since Talladega, and Hocevar is slated to start the Wurth 400 on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. CT on FS1.

By Yusra M. | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

One week before Texas, Hocevar won his first NASCAR Cup race at Talladega.
The prior year he had also won a Busch Light Pole Award at Texas.
Friday at Texas, Hocevar won the Truck Series race.
Saturday time trials produced a 25.222-second lap, earning Hocevar the pole.
Sunday he is scheduled to start on the front row for the Wurth 400 at 2:30 p.m. CT.

News Intelligence

Carson Hocevar's recent success is a testament to perseverance and hard work. If you're a NASCAR fan, his rise could shake up the usual race dynamics. If you're not, his story is a reminder that breakthroughs can come after many attempts.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 5
Right Leaning:: 0
Left Leaning:: 0
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Who Benefited

Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports and associated sponsors benefited from increased visibility, confidence and competitive positioning after the Talladega Cup win, a Truck Series victory Friday, and earning the pole at Texas Motor Speedway.

Who Impacted

Competitors such as Daniel Suárez narrowly missed the top starting position (by 0.003 seconds) and therefore faced slightly reduced strategic advantage for Sunday's race.