Daniel Hemric had a strong Saturday showing at Phoenix. (Photo: Christopher Vargas | The Podium Finish)
AVONDALE, Ariz. – Despite placing 36th due to a crash in the season opener at Daytona, 31-year-old Daniel Hemric has rallied back to his frontrunning ways.
The 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion has dealt with a knee injury for the past two weeks, a setback resulting from a training session prior to the Fontana race weekend. Although Hemric was nursing his injury, he drove from his 35th place starting position to place 12th in the final race on the 2-mile configuration of Auto Club Speedway.
Like the classic Herman’s Hermits song, in Hemric’s case with Las Vegas, the second verse was the same as the first with the sixth year Xfinity competitor compiling another respectable showing, placing 10th at the 1.5-mile venue. Hemric’s steady ways boosted him from the 35th points position to 13th ahead of Round 4 of the 2023 season.
The Kannapolis, North Carolina native kicked off his Phoenix Raceway weekend in fine fashion, nabbing the third starting position in his No. 11 Cirkul Chevrolet Camaro. More importantly, Hemric’s stellar qualifying effort put him in position to nab valuable stage points.
Once Saturday’s United Rentals 200 was underway at the 1-mile d-shaped track, Hemric was off to a solid start, placing fifth in Stage 1 and third in Stage 2.
Hemric looked more like his usual frontrunning self at Phoenix. (Photo: Michael Donohue | The Podium Finish)
While Hemric did not have the race winning pace like Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith and John Hunter Nemechek, he showcased his patience, determination and championship experience in a somewhat eventful Stage 3. With contenders falling by the wayside, mainly because of late race accidents, it was a sprint to the finish for a great result.
As Chandler Smith and Kyle Busch waged an intense battle for third on the race’s final lap, both wrassled control of their cars like drift car competitors at the local short track or road course.
The scrappy duel cost Smith and Busch dearly in terms of their finishing results, respectively placing fifth and ninth. Hemric trailed his Kaulig Racing teammates by finishing in 10th for the second consecutive weekend.
By all means, Hemric logged a strong 10th while netting the ninth highest Driver Rating, 97.3, backed by running inside the top 15 for 147 of the race’s 200 laps per NASCAR’s loop data.
Moreover, Saturday’s 200-lap race showcased how Hemric and his crew chief, Jason Trinchere, are picking up where they last left off late last year with five top 10 results in their nine races together.
Now, Hemric and his No. 11 team look ahead to next Saturday’s Raptor King of Tough 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Last year’s races at the refit 1.54-mile intermediate hybrid were a tale of two cities with a crash that resulted in a 35th in the spring race and fifth in the summer sizzler.
Undoubtedly, Hemric and Trinchere are making gains each race weekend. (Photo: Christopher Vargas | The Podium Finish)
With Hemric making gradual gains in his quest to contend for his second NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, time will tell if the amiable racer can do so with the hardy Kaulig Racing organization.
Then again, tallying consistent, top five to top 10 results may be the foundation for Hemric’s latest title run, two pivotal keys linked with his 2021 career crescendo.
