NASCAR drivers are used to piloting powerful machines, but Carson Hocevar recently got his hands on something much heavier than his usual race car. Instead of another high-performance sports car, the Cup Series driver took delivery of a decommissioned military tank.
The armored vehicle wasn’t originally supposed to be the star of the day, however. Hocevar had planned a cheap-car challenge involving two $800 beaters, with the intention of putting them through a series of entertaining tests.
As documented on the Carson Hocevar YouTube channel, the original plan quickly unraveled when one of the cars developed mechanical problems. What happened next turned an ordinary cheap-car challenge into something way more destructive, although Hocevar’s video title suggests his homeowners’ association wasn’t particularly thrilled.
Few people would expect a NASCAR driver’s cheap-car challenge to involve several tons of military hardware, but for Hocevar, it was apparently too good an opportunity to pass up.
An $800 Chevy Cobalt Doesn’t Last Long
Hocevar purchased a Chevrolet Cobalt for $800, while his friend brought along an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme worth the same amount. The two planned to modify their inexpensive cars before competing in various challenges.
Hocevar started by giving his Cobalt a questionable spray-can paint job, covering much of its body with uneven stripes. Unfortunately, cosmetic improvements soon became the least of his worries.
During a trip to the gas station, the Chevrolet displayed a power-steering warning before developing running problems and eventually stalling. Suspecting a failed accessory belt and electrical issues, the group used the Oldsmobile to push the stricken Cobalt back home.
A Military Tank Arrives at the Perfect Time
With the Chevrolet facing potentially expensive repairs, Hocevar decided against investing additional money in the struggling beater. Conveniently, his newly purchased tank was arriving on a transport trailer that same day.
Unloading the enormous machine required careful maneuvering, particularly because its tracks could damage the pavement… which they did! It’s not every day you’ll see a tank being delivered in a civilian neighborhood, so it goes without saying that it attracted plenty of attention.
The Cobalt Meets Its Unfortunate End
Rather than repair the Chevrolet, Hocevar decided to put his new acquisition to work. The tank rolled over the Cobalt, crushing its bodywork and bringing the $800-car challenge to an abrupt end.
The destruction left the Chevrolet mangled to the point of being nearly unrecognizable, so Hocevar joked about selling the remains for their original purchase price, or alternatively giving away a piece of the damaged bodywork as a souvenir.
Hocevar’s New Tank Apparently Isn’t Popular With the HOA
Hocevar titled his video “HOA is upset with my new tank!,” suggesting his unusual acquisition had already attracted some unwanted attention. Although the footage doesn’t actually document a confrontation with an HOA representative, the crew had to take precautions to avoid damaging the road and the property’s recently installed septic system.
If there actually is an HOA in that area, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see why they might be slightly upset about their neighbor’s shenanigans, given the tank’s size and what happened to the Chevrolet. In the end, Hocevar has a new toy, one fewer Chevy Cobalt, and potentially some explaining to do. All in a day’s work.