Chase Elliott shares hard NASCAR lesson he learned from his dad about Carson Hocevar

Chase Elliott admits he took a harsh lesson from his own father to keep his focus on Carson Hocevar’s rapid climb through NASCAR’s ranks.

What happened?

On a recent day at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Chase Elliott sat down to reflect on the advice his dad, Bill Elliott, gave him about facing younger rivals like Carson Hocevar. The younger Elliott said the talk was blunt but necessary as Hocevar keeps stacking top-10 runs and pushing for wins in 2026. Elliott called the chat “real” and “unfiltered,” adding it forced him to check his own approach to the sport’s new guard.

Why it matters for Chase Elliott

Carson Hocevar, 21, already has three top-5s this season and sits sixth in points after the June 29 race at Atlanta. That run has put him in the crosshairs of veterans like Elliott, who turns 26 next October. Elliott’s father, a 1988 Cup champion, told him to stop treating rising stars as long shots. “My dad’s point was simple: don’t make the mistake of assuming anyone’s still green when they’re running like veterans,” Elliott said. The talk landed hard because Bill Elliott raced against Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace when they were at their peak-lessons Chase now sees replayed in Hocevar.

How Elliott is reacting on track

Elliott has faced Hocevar twice so far in 2026, finishing 11th at Las Vegas in March and 14th at Atlanta in late June. After both runs he pointed to small mistakes-tire calls, pit-road speed-that cost him spots. “I left a couple of tenths on the table against a guy who’s supposed to be the future,” Elliott admitted. He’s now dialed up practice time with his crew chief, Alan Gustafson, to tighten up restarts and late-race calls where Hocevar has been strongest.

What comes next?

Hocevar returns to the track at New Hampshire on July 20, while Elliott preps for the same race after a short break. A strong run by Hocevar could pull him within 150 points of the lead, while Elliott aims to erase his own early-season stumbles. Asked if he’ll lean on his dad’s lesson again, Elliott just smirked. “Every week feels like a pop quiz now,” he said.