Daytona Top 10 Allows Hemric To Build Momentum

Daniel Hemric in action at Daytona Int'l Speedway. (HHP/Jacy Norgaard photo)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Daytona Int’l Speedway often provides opportunities to make the most out of a tough season simply by testing one’s luck.

To a driver like Daniel Hemric and his Kaulig Racing team, the track serves as the ultimate equalizer and allows them to contend for a win they might not necessarily have a chance at in other weeks.

During Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the World Center of Racing, the 33-year-old Hemric competed with the NASCAR Cup Series’ finest, tying his season-best finish of ninth and posting his fourth top 10 of the season – a new career-high for the Kannapolis, N.C., native.

“[It was] speedway racing. It was chaotic,” said Hemric, describing the closing laps. “I thought we lined up pretty well there for the green-white-checkered overtime, and I tried to formulate something going into turns three and four. I made a move to separate myself and I got shoved.

“Luckily, I got a big shot coming to the line to even get back forward and get spots back into the top 10.”

All night, Hemric did the best he could to navigate through the pack after qualifying 28th on Friday. At one point Saturday night, he ran as high as sixth, putting his name in contention early for a top 10.

During stage one, Hemric worked his way up 10 positions to 18th in the first seven laps. However, after a pit stop for fuel and adjustments, he was mired back in the pack and was then unable to avoid a massive lap-59 wreck on the backstretch.

He sustained minimal damage, however, and was able to stay out of trouble during each caution that followed. All the while, his team continued to adjust on his No. 31 Cirkul Chevorlet Camaro ZL1.

Hemric methodically improved his restart position each time. He sat 28th on lap 66, then with a fuel-only stop during the second stage break, he jumped to 20th. He then slowly worked his way toward the top 10, where a 15th-place running position put him in striking distance of a solid finish with three laps left.

After avoiding another wreck, Hemric restarted ninth for the overtime attempt and held serve to close out the race.

All of Hemric’s top 10s this season are ninth-place finishes for Kaulig. Daytona was the first top 15 for the 2021 Xfinity Series champion since finishing 12th at the Chicago (Ill.) Street Race in July.

While Hemric’s plans for next season remain unclear at this moment, if he remains in the Cup Series with Kaulig he’ll team with A.J. Allmendinger, as Kaulig Racing looks to rebuild its competitive prowess.

Team president Chris Rice noted during Friday’s Xfinity Series broadcast that the organization hasn’t been bringing the best cars to the track to contend with like they had been from 2020-‘22, when Kaulig Racing won 17 races with three different drivers.

Altogether, Hemric has 11 top 20s and 24 laps led – just eight laps shy of another Cup Series career-high.

Although Kaulig hasn’t been a perennial Cup Series contender each week, the superspeedways are places where the organzation is usually close to or inside the top 10. Hemric has two more drafting races this year, at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway Sept. 8 and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway Oct. 6.

“It was a decent day for the No. 31 Cirkul Chevy team,” Hemric noted. “Appreciate Cirkul and all they do for us; all the people we have here supporting us. Looking forward to going to one of the coolest race tracks in the country next weekend.”

The venue Hemric alluded to is Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, site of the crown jewel 75th running of the Cook Out Southern 500. Broadcast coverage of the Cup Series regular season finale is slated for Sunday, Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. ET, live on USA, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.