“Very Hard” – Former Richard Childress Driver Opens Up About Falling Off the Peak and Getting Back in NASCAR

From the euphoria of his 2019 Rookie of the Year award to the heartbreak of a brief Cup Series stint with Richard Childress Racing, Daniel Hemric has certainly lived the high-speed, high-risk life of a NASCAR driver. Five years ago, he had a challenging rookie season. Nevertheless, he found himself cruising in the Xfinity Series, showcasing his skills and winning his first and only Xfinity Series Championship in 2021 with Joe Gibbs Racing. Now, with a second chance at the Cup Series, courtesy of Kaulig Racing, Hemric looks set to stake his claim.

From Descent to Ascent: Daniel Hemric Returns to the NASCAR Peak

Hemric’s first and only full-time Cup Series run in 2019, with RCR, fell short of expectations, landing him 25th in the point standings. However, it served as a transformative experience that shaped Hemric’s trajectory tremendously.

As the driver talked to Mike Bagley on the NASCAR Live podcast about his “second change,” his voice was laced with both determination and gratitude. He said, “I think just, your view, your perspective, once you kind of come down from the top of the mountain and you know, kind of re-trek back to the top and actually getting back there is just very hard to do.”

The 33-year-old emphasized the difficulty of successfully reaching the top again while acknowledging the emotional toll it can have, “Yeah, you try to pick yourself up every day and put the work in, but to do it and actually have success to get back to that level? Man, that’s very rare to see happen.”

Additionally, Hemric also extended his gratitude to Chris Rice and Matt Kaulig for giving him the chance to return to the ‘top’ while stressing the value of the support he received from Kaulig Racing.

The North Carolina native candidly declared, “Very proud to have the support of a circle of everyone at Kaulig Racing: Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice just for giving me that shot to get back to the top. It definitely changes the view though…”

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Hemric now has to take up the responsibilities left by the former driver of the #31 Camaro ZL1, Justin Haley, who just joined Rick Ware Racing. He sure will be looking to establish himself as Kaulig Racing’s lone full-time driver after finishing with an average of 22.5 and just two Top-10 results in his rookie Cup Series season.

Nevertheless, Kaulig are in for a thrilling ride this year. They will have obstacles to overcome, but Hemric has a burning desire that cannot be overlooked. His championship run last season in the Xfinity Series stands as evidence of his resilience. Whether he can replicate that success in the Cup Series remains to be seen. However, one thing’s for sure: Daniel Hemric is back to the “Big Show,” ready to prove he can conquer the mountain once more.

Read More: Kaulig Racing Announces Return of Cirkul for Daniel Hemric in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series