By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Each week, Kickin’ The Tires will highlight the 20th-place finisher from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Standing as the middleman in weekends with 40-car fields, there is sure to be a story behind each one.
Sunday’s Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 had one rookie who was on his way to a career-best finish… by far.
Daniel Hemric made only two starts in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series prior to 2019 (Richmond and Charlotte Roval in 2018). However, the Xfinity Series graduate raced like a veteran Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, contending amongst the top five in the closing laps.
His No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet showed muscle in the new aero package debuted over the weekend for the Cup cars. Starting 28th, Hemric had ground to be made and gained positions as the race grew age.
Running fourth with 17 laps to go, Hemric was closing on third-place Kurt Busch before the day crumbled in the form of a flat right-front tire.
To the pits went the No. 8 and away went his potential top-five run. He finished one lap down in 20th.
“What a day,” Hemric said. “It‘s kind of heartbreaking for these guys we couldn‘t get a solid top-five finish.”
Despite the tire issue, Hemric beat RCR teammate Austin Dillon by a position and still managed to surpass his career-best finish (previously 23rd).
“I said I wanted to have an uneventful day and have a solid finish,” he said. “It was good to see we were going to run top five. We just had a right-front tire come apart.”
Though the speed was there, errors were on Hemric’s mind leaving Georgia.
“I made a lot of mistakes on pit road today,” he said. “I‘ve got to get better with [those], just made a lot of mistakes.”
Hemric passed the second-most cars of anyone on the day, moving past 97 cars under green-flag conditions. The surprising pace and gritty maneuvering give Hemric and the No. 8 team a boost of momentum heading to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“The good thing is I feel like it put a little motivation in everybody here at RCR,” he said. “That‘s the kind of racecars we have to have at the track every week to give ourselves a shot.
“It was fun to drive, fun to pass people, and look forward to next week.”
Catch up on Mid-Pack with Zach HERE
List of 20th-Place Finishers in 2019
Daytona: Clint Bowyer
Atlanta: Daniel Hemric
Mid-Pack With Zach: Daniel Hemric, Richard Childress Racing
By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Each week, Kickin’ The Tires will highlight the 20th-place finisher from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Standing as the middleman in weekends with 40-car fields, there is sure to be a story behind each one.
Sunday’s Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 had one rookie who was on his way to a career-best finish… by far.
Daniel Hemric made only two starts in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series prior to 2019 (Richmond and Charlotte Roval in 2018). However, the Xfinity Series graduate raced like a veteran Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, contending amongst the top five in the closing laps.
His No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet showed muscle in the new aero package debuted over the weekend for the Cup cars. Starting 28th, Hemric had ground to be made and gained positions as the race grew age.
Running fourth with 17 laps to go, Hemric was closing on third-place Kurt Busch before the day crumbled in the form of a flat right-front tire.
To the pits went the No. 8 and away went his potential top-five run. He finished one lap down in 20th.
“What a day,” Hemric said. “It‘s kind of heartbreaking for these guys we couldn‘t get a solid top-five finish.”
Despite the tire issue, Hemric beat RCR teammate Austin Dillon by a position and still managed to surpass his career-best finish (previously 23rd).
“I said I wanted to have an uneventful day and have a solid finish,” he said. “It was good to see we were going to run top five. We just had a right-front tire come apart.”
Though the speed was there, errors were on Hemric’s mind leaving Georgia.
“I made a lot of mistakes on pit road today,” he said. “I‘ve got to get better with [those], just made a lot of mistakes.”
Hemric passed the second-most cars of anyone on the day, moving past 97 cars under green-flag conditions. The surprising pace and gritty maneuvering give Hemric and the No. 8 team a boost of momentum heading to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“The good thing is I feel like it put a little motivation in everybody here at RCR,” he said. “That‘s the kind of racecars we have to have at the track every week to give ourselves a shot.
“It was fun to drive, fun to pass people, and look forward to next week.”
Catch up on Mid-Pack with Zach HERE
List of 20th-Place Finishers in 2019
Daytona: Clint Bowyer
Atlanta: Daniel Hemric