Hemric Records Top-15 Result at Bristol

Venue: Bristol Motor Speedway

FINISH: 13th

Start: 1st

Stage 1: 5th

Laps Led: 8

NCTS Point Standings Position: 5th

Daniel Hemric’s evening at Bristol Motor Speedway resulted in a 13th-place finish on Friday night. The driver of the No. 19 NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet Silverado RST led for the fourth time in six races and scored the eighth-most points (30) en-route to a top-15 result. Through six events, Hemric is fifth in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) regular season standings.

After inclement weather washed out practice and qualifying, Hemric led the field to green per the rulebook. He jumped out to a quick lead in the NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet and paced the field of the first eight laps of the night. Hemric’s early handling condition was too free on corner entry and was scored eighth at lap 36. However, a heat cycle on tires from a caution on lap 53 allowed him to finish Stage 1 in fifth position on lap 65.

Due to concerns about tire wear from a “green” racetrack, crew chief Josh Graham brought Hemric to pit road for four tires during the first stage break. He restarted 22nd on lap 78 and advanced his way to 14th by the end of the second segment on lap 130. The NAPA Auto Care team gained him three positions on pit road with their second four-tire pit stop of the night and allowed Hemric to restart ninth on lap 142.

Hemric gradually moved as high as sixth in a 60-lap run that ended with a caution on lap 227. While running eighth, the team elected to pit for four tires in an effort to create a significant tire advantage for the final few laps. The strategy was advantageous as Hemric restarted 11th on lap 237, but ultimately took the checkered flag in 13th.

Daniel Hemric Quote: “Appreciate the fight and effort by our NAPA Auto Care team all night. We tried to play offense at the end and give ourselves a tire advantage, but we got too tight to make much ground the last 10 laps or so. We started off the night free and kept making gains on it. Unfortunately, the last couple restarts didn’t work out for us. The good news is we get back to business next Friday at Rockingham to put this one behind us.”