By ZECH YODER
I would like to take time to discuss the up-and-coming talent within the NASCAR ranks.
Over the last five years, the NASCAR Cup Series has had few break-out superstars and has been largely dominated by veteran drivers. The last six Cup Series Champions are Joey Logano x2, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr. All were over the age of 25, and the youngest, Chase Elliott, was in his fifth full-time season of Cup Series racing. Despite a philosophy during the late 2000s and 2010s that younger was better, the Cup Series has been a veteran’s game. In fact, only five rookies have made the Cup Series Playoffs.
Nevertheless, NASCAR has a pipeline full of exceptional young talent. Currently, at the top of the list is full-time Craftsman Truck Series driver Carson Hocevar. He is having a break-out year in the Truck Series and has turned heads while substituting in the No. 42 Chevrolet for Legacy Motor Club in Cup. He had a rough transition to the Truck Series, and was widely regarded as talented but over-aggressive, impulsive, and self-consumed. After a difficult conversation with Dale Earnhardt Jr. following this year’s Spring Martinsville race, Hocevar displayed significant progress, avoiding controversy, and picking up three Truck Series wins. Hocevar’s performance for Legacy Motor Club has also been impressive. In his three Cup Series starts with Legacy, he finished 17th, 20th, and 11th. It is believed that he will be driving the No. 77 Spire Motorsports entry for 2024. In the past, Spire has struggled due to underfunding. However, this season saw a significant uptick in performance and Spire is spending more money to improve performance.
Chandler Smith is in his first year of full-time competition in the Xfinity Series with Kaulig racing. Last year, at the age of 20, he nearly won the Craftsman Truck Series Championship, making the final found and finishing in third place overall. He finished the 2022 Truck season with three wins, nine top 5s and 16 top 10s. In his rookie year of Xfinity, Smith captured an inaugural win at Richmond and is currently fifth in the playoff standings, three positions above the first cutline. Although a full-time ride in 2024 is a long shot, expect him to make select starts in the Cup Series with Kaulig Racing. I believe he will find a full-time Cup seat for the 2025 season.
Finally, John Hunter Nemechek makes his return to the Cup Series in 2024 in the No. 42 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club. Although a bit older than the previous drivers, he may be in the best equipment for 2024. He ran one season in the Cup Series for Front Row Motorsports in 2020 but returned to the lower series in hopes of securing a better ride. He dominated the Truck Series in 2021 and 2022 and is currently leading the playoffs in the Xfinity Series. In 2024, Legacy Motor Club will switch manufactures and moving to Toyota. It is believed that Toyota will offer much more manufacture support, which it lacked at Chevrolet. I believe Legacy will be much faster next year. If Legacy runs close to the other Toyotas, Nemechek could be a playoff contender.
Am I missing anyone else? Yes, surely, I am. Who do you think will be the next breakout star?
Zech Yoder is a local resident, an attorney at Adler Attorneys in Noblesville, and a lifelong race fan.