Carson Hocevar bumped Ty Dillon out of the lead, held off a quick counterattack, and helped Cleetus McFarland secure their second straight 2.4 Hours of LeMullets win on November 13. The NASCAR Cup Series driver made the last lap a close battle at Florida’s Freedom Factory, with Dillon almost hitting a tractor tire before Hocevar pulled ahead in the No. 77 Ford Crown Victoria. Dillon took P2, and Denny Hamlin managed to finish P3.
The RCR Cup driver was leading as the field neared the white flag, but Hocevar wasn’t done yet. He hit Dillon’s rear bumper and pushed the No. 10 out of the way to take the lead. Dillon responded in Turn 1, bumping Hocevar right back.
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But Dillon’s move almost cost him.
The 34-year-old driver went into the backstretch chicane too fast and ran wide as he tried to slow down. He came close to hitting a tractor tire but managed to avoid it. Hocevar took advantage, slid sideways, brushed Dillon, and grabbed the lead again.
Eventually, Hocevar pulled away in the final moments. Dillon couldn’t catch up, so Hocevar and McFarland repeated their 2025 win. Official results showed Dillon finished 0.994 seconds behind, with Hamlin 1.416 seconds back.
In his post-race interview, Hocevar addressed the scuffle by joking about his eventful NASCAR Cup Series season.
“Yeah, I’m glad it was the front bumper. The back bumper was pretty expensive last time I used that,” Hocevar said.
He was referring to the Martinsville incident with Austin Cindric, when Hocevar’s brake-check led to a $100,000 fine from NASCAR and a suspension from Spire Motorsports for the Cup season finale race at Homestead.
Friday’s race was a big change for Hocevar. After getting in trouble for aggressive driving in NASCAR, he was now celebrating a win after swapping bumps with other Cup drivers.
Hocevar also posted video from his point of view, showing how quickly he had to steer as he fought to control the Crown Vic on the short oval. The footage showed just how intense the finish was, with both drivers refusing to back down.
McFarland called his co-driver a “cheat code” and joked that all he had to do was drive safely for 35 minutes.
oh MY what a finish. cleetus mcfarland and carson hocevar go BACK TO BACK at the 2.4 hours of lemullets https://t.co/B572xcpqXw
— abby (@daleyearnhardt) November 14, 2026
Denny Hamlin Makes It Through in a Damaged Crown Vic While Ryan Preece and Others Face Trouble
Denny Hamlin nearly won the exhibition, even though his No. 11 Crown Vic faced all kinds of problems. He shared the car with Alex Presley and pushed through the chaos at the end, dealing with mechanical issues along the way.
The six-time Cup Series runner-up summed up his night with a memorable comment.
“I hit everything but the lottery, that’s for sure.”
Hamlin’s car had radiator damage, and the right-rear tire gave out as he neared the finish. Still, he managed to take a podium spot.
Hamlin had a front-row seat to Hocevar’s winning move. He actually hoped Hocevar would push Dillon even more, thinking their battle might give him a chance with his damaged car.
“I really needed Carson to get just a little more aggressive with the 10 [Dillon]. I never usually ask for that, but that’s what I needed.”
Hit everything but the lottery https://t.co/RgECnkhmvE
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) November 14, 2026
Hamlin liked how Hocevar pulled away after moving Dillon out of the racing line, calling it textbook, since Dillon couldn’t get the spot back right away.
On the other hand, Ryan Preece had a much tougher night. After an early crash put him in a backup Crown Vic, he fought his way back near the front but spun into the tires on the backstretch.
Preece ended up P6, just behind Landon Huffman in P4 and Shaun “What No Way” in P5. Even after all the trouble, he congratulated Hocevar, and both drivers shared a smile.
But the event’s unusual format created plenty of chances for contact. In fact, McFarland’s 3/8-mile Freedom Factory oval had a temporary chicane on the backstretch, forcing drivers to make sharp turns while dealing with heavy traffic and tricky braking.
Unlike a typical NASCAR race, LeMullets mixes pro racers, internet stars, and car entertainers, all driving nitrous-equipped Crown Victorias. Each team has two drivers who swap during the endurance-style event.
The 2026 lineup also featured Vanilla Ice, Hailie Deegan, Brian Deegan, Dax Shepard, and several other well-known names.
Since starting in 2020, the race has become a popular crossover event, bringing NASCAR drivers together with McFarland’s huge online car fanbase.
Hocevar and McFarland have now won this unique racing and entertainment event two years in a row.