NASCAR's Throwback Weekend has seen Carson Hocevar pull up to the track in his own little piece of history: a Dale Earnhardt-inspired Chevy Silverado he found on Facebook Marketplace.
The 22-year-old NASCAR Cup Series driver, pilot of the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports was named rookie of the year in 2024, but hasn't had as lucky a start in his 2025 season. His one top 10 and one top five finishes have been overshadowed by three DNFs in just seven races.
Not only is the Michigan driver talented behind the wheel, but he also loves a bit of NASCAR history, as is evident by a recent purchase. The Silverado, with Earnhardt's iconic #3 on its doors and with period-correct sponsor decals including Goodwrench and Goodyear on its flanks, is a serious bit of kit. And, on this throwback weekend, is the perfect tribute to one of the sport's most legendary characters.
"It's basically my daily," Hocevar explained about the truck via Dalton Hopkins (below). "I wanted something old school-ish, car-wise. I saw it on Facebook Marketplace like that, and I just thought it'd be fun and interesting to have. So I went and basically got it."
The purchase came before Phoenix, where the driver qualified third.
"I found it on Facebook Marketplace after qualifying of Phoenix and I sent it to all the people that would help me make smart financial decisions and they all just thought it was awesome," he said. "So I don't know if it was the fact we qualified third and everybody was pumped up and was just like 'sure we'll do that,' or if it was just cool, so yea it's fun to have and feel like it fits me well."
Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Photo by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
The truck pays tribute to the great Dale Earnhardt Sr., one of the sport's most admired drivers and a seven-time Cup Series champion. He tragically died at the 2001 Daytona 500. Following his passing, Chevrolet released a limited edition Silverado Intimidator SS - named after Earnhardt's nickname 'Intimidator' - in 2006. Only 1,333 were made and they quickly became a collector's favourite.
When asked if he had shown the truck to Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hocevar replied, "I don't know if he's seen it, I'm sure he has. I haven't, I'm always weird to text people and just be like 'hey look at this', sure if I saw him or whatnot."
The Throwback Weekend was launched in 2015 and encourages teams to run special paint schemes that reflect the history of the sport. It's become an incredibly popular weekend of the season. Funnily enough, Spire Motorsports won't be taking part in the celebrations, with the team running their usual liveries.
Photos from Darlington - Practice & Qualifying
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