KALAMAZOO, Mich., Nov. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Zeigler Auto Group sponsored driver Carson Hocevar named 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year. Hocevar pilots the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports.

Zeigler Auto Group announced its partnership with Hocevar and Spire last December. Since then the organization has partnered with the Rookie of the Year for a series of races and philanthropic efforts in the Kalamazoo - Portage area.

"It has been an incredible experience to support Carson this year for a number of key races. This is a very well deserved accolade; and we are proud of what he represents on and off the track," said Aaron Zeigler, president and owner of Zeigler Auto Group.

The Portage, Mich., native earned the honors on the strength of one top-five, six top-10 and 13 top-15 finishes. In his first full-season at the controls of the No. 77 Chevrolet, Hocevar brought home a career best third-place finish in the Cup Series September visit to Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

Hocevar impressed throughout his rookie campaign, accumulating 686 points and being the top finishing rookie in 15 races on NASCAR's senior circuit. He out-distanced his next closest competitor by a handsome 107-point advantage when the checkered flag fell on Sunday's season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

"Being named Sunoco Rookie of the Year is special," said Hocevar. "I got beat out for Rookie of the Year in the CRAFTSMAN Truck series, and I didn't run in the Xfinity Series full time so to win the award in the NASCAR Cup Series is a huge accomplishment for our whole team. It definitely didn't come easy. Josh (Berry) has won a bunch of Xfinity races, and the No. 4 team won tons of races and a championship with Rodney (Childers) and (Kevin) Harvick. We also had Zane (Smith) in contention, who raced for Spire Motorsport and has won several Truck Series races and a championship. It was a good group of accomplished drivers vying for it, and it means a lot to come out on top. We ran really strong at the end of the year and were able to pull away in terms of points. These last several weeks show our capabilities as a team.

"The award will be something that will live with me my whole career, and I'm proud to be known as the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year. There's an elite list of guys who have won it, and many of them went on to win races and championships. The award is something you only have one shot at. You can never go back and try to win Rookie or the Year later down the line. It is the only thing like that in racing. It is cool to win something so significant this year, and the mission is now to get the No. 77 car in the playoffs in 2025."

The 21-year-old made his NCS debut for Spire Motorsports on June 4, 2020 at World Wide Technology Raceway. In addition to his NCS debut, Hocevar made four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts for Spire Motorsports in 2023, with a pair of top-10 finishes coming in May at Darlington Raceway (sixth) and Charlotte Motor Speedway (eighth). 

Hocevar was first paired with veteran crew chief Luke Lambert last season when he competed behind the wheel of the No. 42 machine in eight of the divisions final 10 races. He scored a then career-best 11th- place finish at the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Lambert followed Hocevar to Spire Motorsports where he was chosen to lead the team's No. 77 efforts for the 2024 season.

"I am incredibly proud of the effort Carson (Hocevar) and the No. 77 team have put into the 2024 season," said Lambert. "Carson is a tremendous talent and that combined with his effort and dedication has led to solid performance on track, and continuous improvement throughout the season. I am honored to be a part of Spire Motorsports as we continue to progress as a NASCAR Cup Series team. Carson and the No. 77 team are committed to constant improvement and look forward to building on this rookie season in 2025."

Hocevar made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) debut on August 1, 2019 at Eldora Speedway and collected four wins, one pole, 21 top-five and 33 top-10 finishes over his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series career. He finished 10th in points in 2021 and 2022 and earned a berth in the 2023 Championship 4, where he ultimately finished third in the season-ending championship point standings.

"It has been an exciting season watching Carson, Luke and the whole No. 77 team grow together," said Spire Motorsports president Doug Duchardt. "Carson's finishes have improved throughout the year and the team has been running competitively during the playoffs, racing door-to-door with the playoff contenders. We are proud of Carson and the No. 77 team for winning the NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award and I'm looking forward to seeing them continue to raise the bar next year."

Hocevar's accomplishment marks the first time a Chevrolet-backed driver has achieved the title since Daniel Hemric in 2019. He is the third Michigan-born driver to earn the honor, following in the footsteps of Erik Jones (2017) and Johnny Benson (1996.)

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus "T.J." Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Justin Haley, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team also fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth drives the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team's fleet of Silverados in the No. 77.

Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports' No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win on April 7, 2022 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team's most recent win came on April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

About Zeigler Auto Group
Zeigler Automotive Group is one of the largest privately-owned dealer groups in the U.S. with 84 franchises across 41 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Vehicle brands represented include all of the domestic and the majority of the imported manufacturers.

Besides its extensive automotive portfolio, the organization owns and operates Zeigler Motorsports, an 85,000-square-foot motorsports dealership and action park, offering 19 different powersports brands, plus its own onsite restaurant: Trak Houz Bar & Grill. Additionally, Zeigler Motorsports houses the Elevate Leadership & Team Building Academy, an executive training company.

The Kalamazoo-based dealer group also owns and operates Zeigler Pre-Owned of Chicago, three Byrider franchises, three finance companies, several insurance firms, and a leasing firm.

Founded in 1975, the organization employs over 2,500 people, ranking among the top 1% of automotive dealers in the nation with estimated annual sales of $2.2 billion for 2023.

The family-owned and operated company is well known for its commitment to both customer service and employee satisfaction. Zeigler is regularly recognized as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation, also earning similar accolades in Wisconsin, Chicago, and Michigan. Besides these prestigious accolades, Zeigler is also one of Glassdoor's 100 Best Places to Work in the U.S. for 2024, and among Glassdoor's top 10 U.S. companies for work-life balance.

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