Carson Hocevar secured his first career NASCAR Cup Series win at the Jack Link's 500 on April 26 at Talladega Superspeedway. He held off Chris Buescher in the final lap despite being involved in a major crash earlier in the race.
Key points
Carson Hocevar won his first NASCAR Cup Series race
The race took place at Talladega Superspeedway
Hocevar held off Chris Buescher on the final lap
A major crash involved 27 cars on Lap 115
Hocevar's car sustained little damage during the crash
Mentioned in this story
Talladega Superspeedway
Carson HocevarSpire MotorsportsJack Link's 500
Carson Hocevar breaks through with 1st career win, more NASCAR Talladega winners, losers
The No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet was in the 27-car crash on Lap 115 that ended the days of several contenders, but he escaped with little damage. After a pit stop, Hocevar steadily drove to the front before spending the final 30 laps at the head of the pack.
Not only was a big day in Hocevar's career, but he left Talladega in eighth in points, 70 points ahead of the Chase cutline.
Here are the winners and losers from the NASCAR Talladega race:
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Honorary pace car driver, Eladio Carrion poses for photos on track prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)
Q&A
Who won the NASCAR Talladega race on April 26, 2026?
Carson Hocevar won the NASCAR Talladega race on April 26, 2026.
What happened during the Talladega race that affected multiple drivers?
A 27-car crash occurred on Lap 115, eliminating several contenders from the race.
How did Carson Hocevar manage to win the Jack Link's 500?
Hocevar drove steadily to the front after a pit stop and led the final 30 laps of the race.
What team does Carson Hocevar drive for in the NASCAR Cup Series?
Carson Hocevar drives for Spire Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Related Articles
Sports
Spinning Back Clique: Surging Sterling, Ronda-Kayla beef, UFC Perth
Yahoo Sports·
Sports
Striker Vokes to retire at end of current season
Sam Vokes announces retirement at the end of the 2025-26 season
BBC Sport··1 min read
Sports
Ranking the tennis greats who spent the most weeks at World No. 1
Yahoo Sports·
Sports
Luis Enrique, Nuno Mendes and why versatility is football's new superpower
Luis Enrique's tactical shifts at PSG highlight the importance of player versatility.
Sky Sports··1 min read
Soccer
VOTE: Sky Sports Scottish Premiership Goal of the Season
Cast your vote for the Scottish Premiership Goal of the Season now!
Sky Sports··1 min read
Sports
Las Vegas Aces Begin Season With Japan National Team Preseason Matchup
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: NASCAR Cup Series driver, Kyle Larson (L) and honorary pace car driver, Eladio Carrion pose for photos in the #5 hauler prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: NASCAR Cup Series driver, Kyle Larson speak to guest in the #5 hauler prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, signs autographs for NASCAR fans prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, walks the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Chili's Ride the 'Dente Chevrolet, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Austin Cindric, driver of the #2 Menards/FrogTape Ford, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Wurth Ford, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Long Beard XR Chevrolet, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
1 / 9
NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Honorary pace car driver, Eladio Carrion poses for photos on track prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)
1 / 9
NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Honorary pace car driver, Eladio Carrion poses for photos on track prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)
2 / 9
NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: NASCAR Cup Series driver, Kyle Larson (L) and honorary pace car driver, Eladio Carrion pose for photos in the #5 hauler prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
3 / 9
NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: NASCAR Cup Series driver, Kyle Larson speak to guest in the #5 hauler prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
4 / 9
NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, signs autographs for NASCAR fans prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)
5 / 9
NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, walks the grid prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)
6 / 9
NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Chili's Ride the 'Dente Chevrolet, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
7 / 9
NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Austin Cindric, driver of the #2 Menards/FrogTape Ford, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
8 / 9
NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Wurth Ford, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
9 / 9
NASCAR Talladega race best photos, including Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 26: Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Long Beard XR Chevrolet, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NASCAR Talladega winners and losers as Carson Hocevar breaks through
Winner: Carson Hocevar
Is Hocevar the next superstar driver? WIll the Talladega win be the first pivot point of his Hall of Fame career?
No one can say for sure. But it's definitely interesting to think about. The tools are there.
Talent and aggression combined can be a dangerously good combination in motorsports. Hocevar has both.
His celebration, driving down the frontstretch while hanging out of the driver's side window, is already legendary. How many cars at short tracks across America are going to get damaged by winning drivers trying to copy that?
Hocevar's maiden victory is a great reminder of what can be next for him. One thing I feel comfortable predicting: It won't take 91 races for him to get win No. 2.
Winner: Alex Bowman
Alex Bowman's relief was evident the moment he exited his car post-race following his third-place run at Talladega.
"Honestly, to be blunt, it just feels good to get out of here without crashing," Bowman told FOX after the race.
Bowman had a season-best result in his third race back after missing four races with vertigo.
Making the Chase isn't likely for Bowman (who made the playoffs in seven of the last eight seasons), but it would be quite the story if he were to make a run at it. With 16 races remaining before the cutoff, Bowman is 146 points behind 16th place. Unlikely? Yes. Possible? Sure.
Losers: Toyota (for first time in 2026)
Hocevar's win aside, the most notable thing about the final running order was the absence of Toyota inside the top 10.
Christopher Bell was caught up in the last-lap crash in the tri-oval, knocking Toyota out of the top 10.
Tyler Reddick, despite getting heavy damage in two separate incidents, was the highest running Toyota driver in 14th. Denny Hamlin was a lap down for most of the race after a speeding penalty on pit road after the first stop. Ty Gibbs, Bubba Wallace and Chase Briscoe were caught up in the 27-car crash.
What does it mean? Nothing. Talladega can be that way. But it's a notable occurrence after two months of dominance in the Cup Series.
Loser: Joey Logano
It's not time to put Logano on the Chase bubble yet, because he has the history of getting the necessary results when needed.
But the reality is that through 10 of 26 regular-season races, Logano is 15th in points, 12 points ahead of the cutline, after getting caught up in the Big One and finishing 39th at Talladega.
Logano has posted three finishes of 30th or worst mixed in with a top-5 and a top-10 finish.
Logano's best finishes have come on a pack-racing track (3rd at Daytona) and two short tracks (3rd at Martinsville and 7th at Bristol). The No. 22 team has struggled on traditional ovals longer than a mile.
Four of the next five races are on those kinds of ovals, with a trip to Watkins Glen mixed in.
A DNF at Talladega was not what Logano needed. The concern level is mild so far, but Logano's form has to improve soon.
