NASCAR driver Carson Hocevar gives viral influencer a wild ride

Shane Connuck, The Charlotte Observer on Aug 30, 2025

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DARLINGTON, S.C. — Carson Hocevar knows a thing or two about living in the fast lane — but even he was caught off guard by the whirlwind energy he encountered last week.

The personable 22-year-old driver teamed up with IShowSpeed, who boasts over 43 million YouTube subscribers, for a day at the track. Hocevar took him around the racetrack — and the famed influencer climbed behind the wheel himself.

Hocevar said IShowSpeed was shocked by the force felt on drivers’ neck and side from behind the wheel, and he hit a little over 160 mph and stayed by the wall.

“My social battery was dead at the end of it, so the fact that he does that 24/7 is wild to me,” Hocevar said. “It’s like when a firefighter or whoever comes to your school. You don’t really understand it when you’re a kid; It’s no different than anything else in life that you don’t understand how much effort goes into things even when they may look really simple.”

Corey Heim wins Truck Series race at Darlington

For the eighth time this season, it was “Heim Time.”

Corey Heim, the 23-year-old Cup Series prospect, continued his dominant campaign in the Truck Series, winning the Sober or Slammer 200 on Saturday afternoon at Darlington.

Heim started from the third row and wasted little time climbing through the field. He took the opening-stage win, grabbing the lead from Layne Riggs as several contenders dealt with flat tires under green-flag conditions.

“It feels like I’m in a dream,” Heim said. “Eight wins this year is phenomenal. It’s crazy to look back on, but we’ve also got so much to look forward to.”

Riggs fought back in Stage 2, reclaiming the top spot on Lap 60 and holding off Heim to take the stage win — setting up a tense final segment where tire wear stayed front and center.

The closing laps turned dramatic as Heim and Riggs dueled for the lead. With just 20 laps to go, Riggs suffered a right-front flat tire, the latest victim of a recurring issue that had plagued drivers all afternoon. The flat triggered the race’s only caution when Kaden Honeycutt spun in response, shaking up the running order.

Heim took charge at the restart, holding a comfortable advantage to the checkered flag over the battered field. Saturday’s win cements his championship hopes and adds to a dominant 2025 campaign, one marked by consistent speed — and, at Darlington, survival.

NASCAR playoffs will separate contenders

When the green flag drops for the Cup Series Playoffs at Darlington, the intensity climbs to another level.

Playoffs enhance the pressure each week, and it’s not even just for the drivers competing for the championship. This Cup season has seen 14 different drivers win races, with six drivers notching multiple victories. While wins are hard to come by, these tightly competitive races allow windows for new winners — and that remains true throughout the postseason.

“Those top playoff teams just find another gear when the playoffs start,” Michael McDowell said. “It gets more challenging because of that, I think the top teams sort of shine here in these last 10 weeks — but we’ve seen it. We saw Ross (Chastain) steal a win, not in the playoffs, at Phoenix. ... It’s not impossible, but for us, the main goal is try to win a race.”