For someone who doesn’t “really talk to anybody” on the NASCAR scene, Carson Hocevar sure knows how to show his support for fellow drivers, especially young, budding ones. As the Tulsa shootout is underway, gripping attention from NASCAR, the 23-year-old couldn’t help but openly hype up the Bump and Run superstar ahead of the race, replying to the tweet with a simple acknowledgement. But when the 12-year-old was asked about it, he kept his answer simple and humble.

“This Braxton Flatt kid rips! Fun to watch,” said Hocevar after the Thursday qualifiers, and as Braxton Flatt gained a new fan, he is clearly playing it cool. Talking to X, the 12-year-old spoke about how he does not have any more T-shirts to hand out.

“Uh, no, we still gotta order a little bit more, but, um, we have a little bit of bump-and-run shirts at home, but we didn’t bring them, unfortunately, so…”

And while we may not get any merch from the superstar, his move was definitely one to remember and talk about. The Illinois native became an overnight sensation after his 2023 Tulsa Shootout Junior Prince Golden Driller win.

Flatt described learning the bump-and-run move from his dad and using it to slide his rival up the track so he could get underneath and pass, a moment that caught the attention of fans and even NASCAR figures online.

“My dad told me this trick when I just started. We call it the bump-and-run. Like, coming into the corner or out of the corner, I bump ’em, and then that would slide them up the track a little bit so I can get under him. I tried that, and it worked,” said Flatt, fresh off his 2023 victory.

This win didn’t come easy. The 10-year-old raced up from the mid-pack and took the lead late in the feature race.

Braxton Flatt’s success is not just about one viral moment. The Illinois native has been racing for several years, starting in quarter midgets before moving into microsprints and junior divisions. He has picked up multiple wins and podium finishes at regional tracks and national indoor events, showing strong race craft against older competition.

His 2023 Tulsa Shootout Junior Prince Golden Driller win was a big breakthrough, but his steady results have already made him a young driver many in the dirt racing world are keeping an eye on.

This mix of on-track success and a clear, youthful breakdown of a storied racing tactic helped make Flatt’s bump-and-run explanation one of the standout viral moments from the event, blending genuine racing technique with the charm of a young racer confidently sharing his strategy.

And while Hocevar may have to wait a while to get his T-shirt, new ones may be in order, given how Flatt performed, especially after last night.

The Illinois native had a strong showing in the 2026 Tulsa Shootout qualifiers. He started in sixth place in his heat, raced up through the field, and finished second, which allowed him to move into fourth place in the overall point standings with 222 points.

The goal is clear; Flatt is definitely going for yet another win. And while Hocevar is cheering from the sidelines, the cup driver doesn’t want to miss out on dirt races, laying down his wishes.

Hocevar aims to run in the Chili Bowl Nationals

Carson Hocevar recently celebrated a virtual victory in the iRacing Chili Bowl. This win reintegrated his interest in competing in the real-life version of the prestigious dirt racing event set for January 2026.

In the special event, the Spire Motorsports driver led much of the race and secured the win following a late restart.

A few days after the race, Hocevar shared a photo of the Chili Bowl midget car on his Instagram story, hinting at a return to the Chili Bowl Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“Won the iRacing Chili Bowl last night. Wish I was racing the real thing this year,” he wrote.

Earlier this month, he also took part in a dirt late model race at the Gateway Nationals. Reflecting on the experience, the 23-year-old said he enjoys dirt racing because it emphasizes driver feel and race craft over heavy data analysis.

“Having real racing or just not a lot of aero or engineering, I’m not looking at laptops and data. You’re looking at flow, trying to figure out what lane works and everything,” he added. “So, it’s just fun to do.”

The nationals returned to Tulsa for their 40th running from Jan 12th till 17th, 2026, at the Tulsa Expo Center.

And while Hocevar hasn’t officially entered yet, his virtual win and past experiences in 2020 and 2023 suggest he will likely make a push to compete in Tulsa next January.