MOTORSPORT AMERICA PHOTOS OF THE JACK LINKS 500 AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
by Derek Jackson
Carson Hocevar had the greatest motorsports victory celebration that many have ever seen, and he ensured the Talladega fans who witnessed his first NASCAR Cup Series win would remember it.
After dueling Chris Buescher with a last lap pass Sunday, Hocevar celebrated his first win with one of NASCAR’s most unconventional victory laps while sitting on the window of his Chevrolet, saluting the crowd with fist pumps and waves while driving the length of the frontstretch on the window of his race car. It was an absolutely legendary move that will be talked about for many years to come.
Hocevar steered the car nose-first into the outside wall to perform an epic burnout before climbing onto the roof with fist-pumps that lit up social media platforms with a frenzy.
The unique celebration was appropriate for the rising NASCAR star driver who has made headlines in the past year with his aggressive driving style. Many have likened him as the new Dale Earnhardt.
“I’ve had this celebration thought up for a while”, Hocevar said. “I’m so thankful. This is the biggest dream I’ve ever thought of. Thank you, everybody. I couldn’t have done it any better way.”
Hocevar is known as “Hurricane Hocevar”, has gained many fans on social media over the last couple of years, and his victory this weekend will be remembered for a long, long time to come.
Legendary Racetrack!The Talladega Big Rig with the Giant American Flag!F-35 Flyover after the National Anthem delights the crowd!Pace-Lap of the Jack Links 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in front of the packed crowd!The pace car is away, signaling the start of the race as No. 45 Tyler Reddick leads from the pole position!It’s a full house at Talladega at the start of the race!The field makes their way through the Tri-Oval at the start of the race!Green Flag and the start of the race!Jesse Love driving the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletHamlin leads the first lap down the Alabama Gang Superstretch as Reddick begins to fall back.No. 45 Tyler Reddick is off the pace and falling back.From Lap 4-10 No. 3 Austin Dillion, No. 19 Chase Briscoe and No. 11 Denny Hamlin take turns leading the field.No. 45 Tyler Reddick falls back as he reports intermittent engine firing.Reddick continues to fall back to P23 as Hamlin leads.On Lap 10 No. 66 Chad Finchum leads for the first time in his NASCAR career.Chad Finchum leads as Hamlin, Briscoe, Gibbs and Nemechek give chase at full throttle.Laps 10-20 as Finchum, Hamlin and Briscoe opt for speed vs. a fuel saving strategy.Joey Gase goes a lap down on lap # 40.Lap 42 Chase Briscoe pits but comes in hot into the first pit stall off Turn 4 as he locks up the brakes!Chase Briscoe slides through his pit box, right into the path of tire-changer CJ Bailey!CJ Bailey goes flying as the No. 19 Toyota makes contact with him!Chaos ensues in the No. 19 pit box as his crew member & tires go flying and the fuel man gives chase!Briscoe slams it into reverse and gets wrapped up in his air hose!The misstep by Briscoe was an immediate safety violation that penalized the team on the costly pit stop. CJ Bailey was reportedly unhurt in the incident, but the 2025 Yellawood 500 winner hopes for a repeat Talladega victory were dashed.Riley Herbst had a rough day at Talladega, with two pit road speeding penalties and one for advancing his position below the yellow line.No. 34 Todd Gilliland leads Joey Logano through Turn 4.It’s Shane Van Gisbergen and Ross Chastain leading Erik Jones, Austin Dillon and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. down the backstretch!Shane Van Gisbergen heads to the Tri-Oval.Fords to the Front as Preece leads Buescher, Keselowski, Logano and Blaney.Brad Keselowski out of Turn 4 headed for the Tri-Oval.Late in Stage One, stage winner No. 60 Ryan Preece Leads.Christopher Bell pits.Daniel Suarez pits.Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. pits.Carson Hocevar’s pit stop.Austin Cindric hits the pits.Pit road is open and leaders are in. No. 23 Bubba Wallace takes only two tires.No. 77 Carson Hocevar, William Byron, Shane Van Gisbergen, Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. off pit road.Ty Gibbs, John Hunter Nemechek and Kyle Busch exit pit road.2022 Talladega Winner, Ross Chastain.2025 Jack Links 500 Winner, Austin Cindric.2021 Talladega Winner, Chase Elliott.On Lap # 114, Logano leads the three wide field towards Turn 2.No. 22 Joey Logano leads Noah Gragson and Ty Dillon into Turn 3 at the Alabama Superspeedway.Bubba Wallace leads Ross Chastain, Cole Custer and Brad Keselowski out of Turn One.Bubba Wallace leads the field towards Turn Two.It’s No. 23 Bubba Wallace, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain & Ryan Blaney down the backstretch.Bubba Wallace leads through Turn 3.Bubba Wallace leads through Turn 4.Bubba Wallace leads Ross Chastain down the Alabama Gang Superstretch.
Caution on the backstretch as The Big One happens on Lap # 115 as Wallace gets loose and spins in front of the field!The Big One collected 26 cars!The Big One on the backstretch into Turn 3!NASCAR Fans in Turn 3 at Talladega react to The Big One on Lap # 115!NASCAR Fans in Turn 3 have a great seat for The Big One!Jesse Love shows major damage to his Richard Childress Chevrolet.Carson Hocevar escaped damage in the 26-car crash on Lap # 115.
On Lap # 137, No. 1 Ross Chastain leads Christoper Bell, Chris Buescher, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Todd Gilliland & Ryan PreeceTight Racing down the backstretch as Buescher is nose to tail with Chastain.Reddick is having a bad day, as the Cup Series Points Leader shows major damage from the crash.Kyle Busch escaped damage in The Big One and went on to finish P10, his best of the year so far with RCR.Late in Stage Two, it’s Gilliland, Bell, Ware and Buscher. No. 51 Cody Ware of Greensboro, NC ran great all day but was collected in a last lap crash.Zane Smith finished P5 and had the fastest lap of the race at 198.413 mph!Lap 161 Reddick comes in smoking hot while missing his front left tire. The sparks ignited fuel spilled in Ryan Preece’s pit stall.Caution for debris on the track, as Tyler Reddick lost a tire in Turn 2.Green flag with 22 laps to go. Buescher leads Hocevar, Bowman, Stenhouse, Jones & Elliott.Late in the race, Hocevar leads Buescher by a nose. Jones, Bowman and Elliott round out the top 5.Lap # 187, with two to go it’s Hocevar leading Buescher!White Flag and it’s Buescher over Hocevar by a nose!Last Lap Dash as Bowman pushes Hocevar!It’s Carson Hocevar by half a car length over Chris Buescher on the last lap as a crash collects Ryan Preece, Austin Dillon, Shane Van Gisbergen, Christopher Bell and Cody Ware.Carson Hocevar wins his 1st NASCAR Cup Race in the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway! Chris Buescher, Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott and Zane Smith round out the Top 5! Followed by Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Noah Gragson and Kyle Busch complete the Top 10!Kyle Busch was P10, followed by Todd Gilliland, Daniel Suarez, Ty Dillion, Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin round out the Top 15 as Preece, Austin Dillon, SVG, Bell and Ware continue their crash on the frontstretch!Hocevar’s burnout crosses the start-finish line at Talladega!Carson Hocevar’s burnout at Talladega!The Fox Sports Drone gets a birds-eye view of Hocevar’s burnout! – Photo courtesy of DG PhotoEpic photo of Carson Hocevar’s legendary victory celebration! Photo courtesy of DG PhotoCarson Hocevar salutes the crowd at the start-finish line! – Photo courtesy of DG PhotoCarson enters the Mobile 1 Victory Lane like a Boss!Carson Hocevar celebrates his first NASCAR win with confetti cannons in victory lane at Talladega Superspeedway!Carson applies the checkered flag sticker to his No. 77 car as his Spire Motorsport Teammate Daniel Suarez looks on!Carson Hocevar is interviewed & congratulated by Steve Post of the Motor Racing Network!Zac Brown, a three-time Grammy Award-winning artist and lead singer of Zac Brown Band, presents the Iconic Vulcan Trophy to Carson Hocevar.Carson Hocevar is presented the Freedom Trophy by The McLemore BoysCarson Hocevar is presented the traditional Talladega victory wreath by Miss Alabama, Emma Terry.Carson Hocevar celebrates his victory in the Jack Links 500 with his crew and Miss Alabama, Emma TerryDon’t miss the Chaos of the Chase for the NASCAR Cup Series this fall at Talladega—where every lap could change the championship in the Yellawood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway!
