Before taking the wheel at Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR driver Carson Hocevar spent part of his race weekend with Alabama service members and veterans at Fort McClellan Training Center.
The Oct. 23 visit brought the driver of the No. 77 Spectrum Chevrolet together with soldiers, state officials and veterans from the Col. Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home in Pell City.
The Alabama National Guard’s Lethality Group welcomed Hocevar, state Sen. Lance Bell (R-Pell City), Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Jeff Newton and Maj. Gen. David Pritchett, the Guard’s adjutant general.
Guard personnel demonstrated their sniper rifle capabilities and marksmanship training, giving visitors a firsthand look at the precision and skills involved in their work.
The visit also gave Hocevar and the officials time to talk and take photos with veterans. Bell helped distribute challenge coins.
Hocevar told Spectrum News that meeting service members and veterans offered a meaningful change of pace from the usual race weekend appearances.
“Number one obviously the partnership with Spectrum and everything It’s fun to go do different things and do events like this that obviously are a little bit different then just sitting at a table signing autographs but really get to see impactful stories and do a lot of cool things ultimately with the military but also to see the veterans that put a lot of sacrifice for us and allow us to do what we do,” Hocevar said.
He also pointed to the teamwork and leadership that connect NASCAR and military service.
“Ultimately the military obviously really loves NASCAR, and I think NASCAR really loves the military. It’s super cool from a fact of you know they really respect and enjoy the team work side of NASCAR and the leadership side and we can relate to that as well,” Hocevar said.
Bell told the outlet that spending time with the veterans was special. With Election Day approaching, he encouraged people to honor their service by exercising their right to vote.
“These men and women fought for our right to vote so please go out and vote. It doesn’t matter how you vote just show up and vote and take pride in voting take pride in what we do because they fought for our lives they fought for us to be able to do this….to be able to spend some time with them was special today,” Bell said.
Talladega already held special meaning for Hocevar, who earned his first NASCAR Cup Series victory there earlier in 2026.
He returned to the track for Sunday’s YellaWood 500, finishing sixth in the Spectrum-sponsored Chevrolet.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
