Daniel Hemric

Daniel Brian Hemric (born January 27, 1991) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 19 Chevrolet Silverado RST for McAnally–Hilgemann Racing.

After beginning his career in short-track racing, Hemric moved up to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and raced full-time in the series in 2015 and 2016 for Brad Keselowski Racing. He ran two full seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Richard Childress Racing, reaching the Championship Round of the NASCAR playoffs in both years, before competing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for the team in 2019. Following one Cup season, he lost his ride with RCR and joined JR Motorsports for a part-time Xfinity schedule. In 2021, Hemric joined Joe Gibbs Racing and won his first career NASCAR race and the Xfinity Series championship.

Racing career Early career

A native of Kannapolis, North Carolina, Hemric began his career at the age of five, competing in go-kart racing at the 1/5-mile Concord Speedway, winning eleven races and a track championship at the North Carolina facility before moving up to Bandolero car five years later. During that time, he started doing his backflip celebration, which was taken from Carl Edwards. At the age of sixteen, Hemric moved up to Legends cars, and in 2008, he won the track's Pro championship, as well as the first of two back-to-back Legends Pro national championships. In 2010, Hemric won the Legends Million at Charlotte Motor Speedway, winning the largest paycheck in Legends car history, $250,000.

Late in the 2010 racing season, Hemric made his debut in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour; He also competed in the Blizzard Series late model tour, winning the series' 2013 championship.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Hemric's No. 19 Reese Brands F-150 during practice for the 2016 Careers for Veterans 200 at Michigan International Speedway.

In October 2013, Hemric made his debut in NASCAR national series competition at Martinsville Speedway, driving the No. 6 Chevrolet for Sharp Gallaher Racing in the Camping World Truck Series. He suffered early issues, finishing 32nd. On November 2, he finished second in the 29th annual All American 400 late model race to Chase Elliott, winning the 2013 Southern Super Series championship by one point over Bubba Pollard. In early November 2013, he finished thirteenth in his second Truck Series race, at Phoenix International Raceway. Hemric made his third Truck start in 2014 for NTS Motorsports, finishing a solid twelfth at Homestead.

In 2015, Hemric announced that he would compete full-time for the first time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with NTS Motorsports. Hemric drove the No. 14 California Clean Power Chevrolet Silverado and competed for the 2015 NASCAR Rookie of the Year title. Hemric earned a best finish of fourth (Dover International Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park) and ran as high as fifth in the NCWTS Driver Point Standings, ultimately finishing the season seventh in the championship standings.

On November 3, Hemric announced that he would join Brad Keselowski Racing to drive the No. 19 Ford F-Series in 2016. Hemric started the season with an eighth place finish at Daytona. He then went on to earn seventeen top-five finishes but no wins. Hemric would make the Chase after being the highest non-winner in the points.

In 2018, Hemric made a return to the Truck Series, running a one-off race for Young's Motorsports at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he started sixteenth and finished 21st.

On November 20, 2024, it was announced that Hemric will return to the Truck Series full-time in 2025, driving the No. 19 Chevrolet for McAnally–Hilgemann Racing and replacing Christian Eckes, who moved up to the Xfinity Series to drive the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet.

Hemric started the 2025 season with a seventh-place finish at Daytona. Over a month later, he scored his first career Truck Series victory at Martinsville after passing teammate, Tyler Ankrum, for the lead with three laps to go.

NASCAR Xfinity Series

On September 17, 2016, it was announced that Hemric would join Richard Childress Racing in 2017. Hemric ran the full Xfinity Series schedule and competed for Rookie of the Year, driving the No. 21 Chevy Camaro. Hemric made his Xfinity debut at the 2017 PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona, which is where he finished 31st after being caught up in an early crash. He rebounded the next week at Atlanta, finishing ninth for his first career Xfinity top-ten finish. At Bristol, Hemric won the Dash 4 Cash. At Richmond, he won his first career pole and then scored a career-best third-place finish. At Mid-Ohio, Hemric would run in the top five for most of the day, bringing home an impressive and career-best second-place finish. In the playoffs, Hemric advanced to the Championship Round at Homestead as the lone non-JR Motorsports driver. Despite starting the race strong, he was eventually plagued by battery issues that dropped him twelve laps behind the leader. He finished 34th and thirteen laps down, fourth in the points.

Hemric returned to the Xfinity Series in 2020, joining JR Motorsports' No. 8 car for a 21-race schedule and sharing the car with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeb Burton. He recorded 12 top tens during the year. At the end of the Atlanta race, he was involved in a fight with Noah Gragson after a pit road mishap during the race. Neither driver was reprimanded by NASCAR. Despite scoring no wins during the 2021 regular season, Hemric made the Playoffs through his consistency. On September 25, Kaulig Racing announced that Hemric would pilot the No. 11 in 2022, replacing Justin Haley as he moved to Kaulig's No. 31 in the Cup Series full-time.

Thanks to his consistency, Hemric would lock himself into the Championship 4, alongside Austin Cindric, A. J. Allmendinger and Noah Gragson. On November 6, Hemric used a last-lap, overtime pass of Cindric at the season finale at Phoenix Raceway to not only win the first race of his NASCAR career, but also the 2021 Xfinity Series title. Hemric's ten runner-up finishes prior to earning his first win, at the time, tied him with Dale Jarrett for the most in Xfinity Series history.

NASCAR Cup Series In November 2017, Hemric practiced and qualified the No. 27 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series car of RCR driver Paul Menard at the AAA Texas 500 weekend, qualifying 21st; Menard was on paternity leave but returned for the race.

Hemric returned to RCR's No. 21 for the 2018 season in addition to a part-time schedule in the Truck Series, driving the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado for Young's Motorsports. On March 20, 2018, it was announced that Hemric would attempt two races in the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the spring Richmond race and the Charlotte Roval race driving the No. 8 RCR Chevrolet. In his Cup debut at the 2018 Toyota Owners 400, he qualified 22nd and finished 32nd, three laps down.

On September 28, 2018, RCR announced that beginning in 2019, Hemric would be the full-time driver of the No. 31 Chevrolet in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, competing for 2019 Rookie of the Year honors. The agreement came after a deal to drive Leavine Family Racing's No. 95 car in 2019 fell through. Two days later, he drove another Cup race at the new Charlotte Roval, finishing tenth in Stage 2 and running as high as second, but was caught up in a late-race wreck and finished 23rd.

On December 14, 2018, RCR announced that Hemric would be driving the No. 8 car instead of the No. 31 car for the 2019 season. In his first race in the No. 8 at the 2019 Daytona 500, he drove a gold paint scheme to celebrate RCR's 50th Anniversary.

On August 17, 2019, Hemric said he was "iffy" about his status for 2020, despite having signed a two-year contract with RCR. A month later on September 17, the team announced Hemric would be released after the 2019 season. At the October Kansas race, Hemric scored his first career Busch Pole Award. He finished the season 25th in the points standings. Despite a disappointing debut season, Hemric won the 2019 NASCAR Rookie of the Year honors.

In 2022, Hemric drove the Kaulig Racing No. 16 part-time in the Cup Series, finishing twelfth at the 2022 Daytona 500 and peaking at ninth place at Fontana. On November 6, Hemric filled in for Ty Gibbs in the No. 23 car for 23XI Racing in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. Gibbs had to miss the race due to the death of his father Coy Gibbs. Hemric was still at the track after the previous day's Xfinity Series race and was able to be fitted into Gibbs' car seat. This marked Hemric's first race with Toyota in over a year.

On September 15, 2023, Kaulig Racing announced that Hemric would drive the No. 31 in 2024. This would mark Hemric's return to full-time Cup Series competition since 2019.

Personal life On July 28, 2015, Hemric announced his engagement to K&N Pro Series East driver Kenzie Ruston. They married on January 7, 2017. He announced in November 2019 that Ruston was expecting their first child. Their daughter was born on May 9, 2020. He announced in August 2022 that Ruston was expecting their second child. Their son was born on December 23, 2022.

On September 4, 2019, Hemric established the Daniel Hemric Be the Change Scholarship with Rowan–Cabarrus Community College. The annual scholarship will grant financial aid to one qualifying student in the field of motorsports, welding, or mechanical engineering.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR (key) (Bold − Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics − Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Cup Series NASCAR Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts Ref 2017 Richard Childress Racing 27 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL MAR TEX BRI RCH TAL KAN CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY KEN NHA IND POC GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH CHI NHA DOV CLT TAL KAN MAR TEXQL PHO HOM N/A — 2018 8 DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL MAR TEX BRI RCH32 TAL DOV KAN CLT POC MCH SON CHI DAY KEN NHA POC GLN MCH BRI DAR IND LVS RCH ROV23 DOV TAL KAN MAR TEX PHO HOM 61st 01 2019 DAY34 ATL20 LVS23 PHO18 CAL33 MAR27 TEX33 BRI30 RCH19 TAL5 DOV25 KAN18 CLT21 POC13 MCH12 SON15 CHI19 DAY18 KEN24 NHA37 POC7 GLN35 MCH26 BRI12 DAR37 IND34 LVS17 RCH25 ROV33 DOV21 TAL21 KAN31 MAR17 TEX16 PHO21 HOM12 25th 505 2022 Kaulig Racing 16 Chevy DAY12 CAL9 LVS22 PHO ATL COA RCH MAR BRD TAL36 DOV DAR31 KAN CLT GTW SON NSH ROA ATL NHA POC IRC MCH RCH GLN DAY26 DAR23 KAN BRI TEX TAL34 ROV LVS HOM MAR 46th 01 23XI Racing 23 Toyota PHO17 2024 Kaulig Racing 31 Chevy DAY16 ATL18 LVS19 PHO28 BRI28 COA37 RCH30 MAR28 TEX20 TAL9 DOV9 KAN30 DAR33 CLT18 GTW18 SON28 IOW29 NHA31 NSH9 CSC12 POC25 IND30 RCH30 MCH23 DAY9 DAR29 ATL11 GLN31 BRI19 KAN20 TAL38 ROV24 LVS19 HOM29 MAR17 PHO23 29th 515 † – Qualified for Paul Menard

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 2019 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 29 34 2022 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 33 12 2024 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 37 16

Xfinity Series NASCAR Xfinity Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Pts Ref 2017 Richard Childress Racing 21 Chevy DAY31 ATL9 LVS13 PHO7 CAL11 TEX32 BRI5 RCH3 TAL38 CLT13 DOV13 POC9 MCH12 IOW21 DAY32 KEN9 NHA12 IND8 IOW7 GLN11 MOH2 BRI7 ROA15 DAR18 RCH4 CHI4 KEN7 DOV4 CLT7 KAN18 TEX14 PHO5 HOM34 4th 4003 2018 DAY26 ATL11 LVS6 PHO6 CAL5 TEX3 BRI3 RCH29 TAL23* DOV3 CLT7 POC3 MCH2 IOW3 CHI5 DAY8 KEN2 NHA11 IOW11 GLN16 MOH3 BRI24 ROA3 DAR11 IND5 LVS29 RCH3 ROV10 DOV7 KAN2* TEX10 PHO2 HOM5 3rd 4033 2019 Kaulig Racing 10 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL DOV CLTRL† POC MCH IOW CHI DAY KEN NHA IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA DAR IND LVS RCH ROV DOV KAN TEX PHO HOM N/A — 2020 JR Motorsports 8 Chevy DAY LVS35 CAL7 PHO30 DAR6 CLT2 BRI6 ATL4 HOM HOM31 TAL POC28 IRC KEN KEN9 TEX KAN7 ROA35 DRC37 DOV DOV5 DAY24 DAR37 RCH RCH BRI LVS3 TAL5 ROV3 KAN2 TEX MAR PHO25 17th 555 2021 Joe Gibbs Racing 18 Toyota DAY9 DRC3 HOM3 LVS2* PHO23 ATL9 MAR3 TAL12 DAR5 DOV9 COA29 CLT28* MOH12 TEX4 NSH13 POC6 ROA2 ATL30 NHA3 GLN22 IRC12 MCH39 DAY5 DAR24 RCH6 BRI10 LVS5 TAL4 ROV3 TEX2 KAN15 MAR3 PHO1 1st 4040 2022 Kaulig Racing 11 Chevy DAY28* CAL12 LVS3 PHO8 ATL35 COA25 RCH6 MAR13 TAL34 DOV11 DAR10 TEX11 CLT6 PIR6 NSH17 ROA29 ATL5 NHA35 POC9 IRC22 MCH8 GLN31 DAY19 DAR13 KAN15 BRI20 TEX30 TAL8 ROV17 LVS8 HOM4 MAR8 PHO8 9th 2220 2023 DAY36 CAL12 LVS10 PHO10 ATL2 COA6 RCH24 MAR7 TAL21 DOV10 DAR16 CLT22 PIR33 SON13 NSH8 CSC7 ATL2 NHA4 POC5 ROA11 MCH15 IRC27 GLN23 DAY3 DAR10 8th 2224 10 KAN34 BRI2 TEX24 ROV7 LVS9 HOM6 MAR6 PHO21 2024 11 DAY ATL LVS PHO COAQL‡ RCH MAR TEX TAL DOV DAR CLT PIR SON IOW NHA NSH CSC POC IND MCH DAY DAR ATL GLN BRI KAN TAL ROV LVS HOM MAR PHO N/A — 2025 DAY ATL COA PHO LVS HOM MAR DAR BRI ROC TAL TEX CLT NSH MXC POC ATL CSC SON DOV IND IOW GLN DAY PIR GTW7 BRI KAN ROV17 LVS16 TAL MAR PHO 86th 01 † – Relieved Austin Dillon ‡ – Qualified for Josh Williams

Craftsman Truck Series NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Pts Ref 2013 Sharp Gallaher Racing 6 Chevy DAY MAR CAR KAN CLT DOV TEX KEN IOW ELD POC MCH BRI MSP IOW CHI LVS TAL MAR32 TEX PHO13 HOM 47th 43 2014 NTS Motorsports 20 Chevy DAY MAR KAN CLT DOV TEX GTW KEN IOW ELD POC MCH BRI MSP CHI NHA LVS TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM12 64th 32 2015 14 DAY26 ATL19 MAR12 KAN10 CLT17 DOV4 TEX9 GTW9 IOW8 KEN18 ELD5 POC9 MCH7 BRI4 MSP4 CHI25 NHA6 LVS6 TAL28 MAR12 TEX14 PHO21 HOM8 7th 733 2016 Brad Keselowski Racing 19 Ford DAY8 ATL4 MAR22 KAN3 DOV9 CLT9 TEX10 IOW15 GTW3 KEN3 ELD8 POC22 BRI3 MCH3 MSP3 CHI2 NHA28 LVS2 TAL11 MAR9 TEX3 PHO13 HOM5 6th 2163 2018 Young's Motorsports 20 Chevy DAY ATL LVS MAR DOV KAN CLT21 TEX IOW GTW CHI KEN ELD POC MCH BRI MSP LVS TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM 103rd 01 2025 McAnally–Hilgemann Racing 19 Chevy DAY7 ATL16 LVS13 HOM5 MAR1 BRI13 ROC3 TEX2 KAN10 NWS4 CLT8 NSH4 MCH27 POC5 LRP9 IRP7 GLN2 RCH33 DAR2 BRI5 NHA12 ROV11 TAL34 MAR31 PHO33 9th 2177 2026 DAY26 ATL34 STP8 DAR9 ROC24 BRI12 TEX7 GLN4 DOV30 CLT11 NSH15 MCH13 COR2 LRP6 NWS20 IRP34 RCH10 NHA8 BRI KAN CLT PHO TAL MAR HOM -* -*

Season still in progress Ineligible for series points

ARCA Racing Series (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.) ARCA Racing Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pts Ref 2015 NTS Motorsports 92 Chevy DAY12 MOB NSH SLM TAL TOL NJE POC MCH CHI WIN IOW IRP POC BLN ISF DSF SLM KEN KAN 103rd 170

K&N Pro Series East NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pts Ref 2015 NTS Motorsports 20 Chevy NSM GRE5 BRI8 IOW BGS LGY COL NHA IOW GLN10 MOT VIR RCH DOV 27th 109

ARCA Menards Series West ARCA Menards Series West results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pts Ref 2019 Bill McAnally Racing 50 Chevy LVS IRW TUS TUS CNS SON2 DCS IOW EVG GTW MER AAS KCR PHO 36th 42 2025 Bill McAnally Racing 19 Chevy KER9 PHO TUC CNS KER SON TRI PIR AAS MAD LVS PHO 49th 36

Whelen Modified Tour NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour results Year Car owner No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pts Ref 2011 Roger Hill 79 Pontiac THO STA STA MON THO NHA RIV STA NHA BRI DEL THO LIM NHA STA THO18 48th 109 2012 THO20 STA11 MON STA WAT NHA STA THO BRI THO RIV NHA STA THO 35th 57

Whelen Southern Modified Tour NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour results Year Car owner No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pts Ref 2010 Roger Hill 19 Pontiac ATL CRW SBO CRW BGS BRI CRW15 LGY TRI CLT5 26th 273 2011 CRW HCY SBO CRW CRW BGS BRI11 19th 571 79 CRW7 LGY THO TRI CRW CLT11 CRW3 2012 CRW6 CRW3 SBO CRW6 CRW BGS BRI LGY THO CRW CLT 23rd 117

CARS Super Late Model Tour (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.) CARS Super Late Model Tour results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pts Ref 2015 Carswell Motorsports 98 Chevy SNM ROU HCY6 SNM TCM MMS ROU CNS MYB HCY 44th 27

CARS Pro Late Model Tour (key) CARS Pro Late Model Tour results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Pts Ref 2026 Daniel Hemric Inc. 54H Chevy SNM NSV CRW11 ACE NWS HCY AND FLC TCM NPS SBO -* -*