Race 16: Sonoma
No. 8 Poppy Bank Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Sonoma Raceway
Daniel Hemric will be making his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start at Sonoma Raceway during this weekend's 90-lap event. The Kannapolis, North Carolina, native made one road course start in the Cup Series in 2018, starting 11th and finishing 23rd in the inaugural event at the Charlotte Roval. Hemric made a total of six road course starts during two seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, earning three top-five finishes.
In addition to Sunday's Cup race at Sonoma, Hemric will run the No. 50 Poppy Bank Chevrolet in Saturday's K&N West Series race.
QUOTES:
You are going to make your first career start at Sonoma Raceway this weekend in the Poppy Bank Chevrolet. How do you prepare for that style of racing at a track you have never been to before?
"It's probably a good thing that I have never been to Sonoma Raceway, considering it will be somewhat new for everybody with a change in configuration this year with the Cup Series running the carousel. This may sound crazy, but I remember going to Watkins Glen International for the first time and the only time I had ever seen it was in video games. Because of that experience playing video games, I felt like I knew the racetrack. With all of the technology that RCR and GM have available, I feel like my teammate Austin Dillon and I have the tools we need to go to tracks we've never been to before and succeed. I am pumped to get to Sonoma Raceway with the No. 8 Poppy Bank Chevrolet. Everybody tells me Sonoma Raceway is similar to Darlington Raceway from a grip standpoint, which will be a challenge in and of itself. I enjoy road course racing, so I look forward to going out there for the first time."
Meet the Driver
Hemric will take part in a fan Q&A session in the Turn 7 RevZone on Sunday, June 23, starting at 8:50 a.m. local time.
Sunoco Rookie of the Year Standings
Coming off his 12th-place run at Michigan International Speedway, Hemric continues to lead the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point standings, enjoying a 21-point lead over Ryan Preece and a 98-point gap over Matt Tifft.
About Poppy Bank
Since opening their first branch in January 2005, Poppy Bank has grown to over $2 Billion in assets with branches across the San Francisco Bay Area, Roseville and Southern California. They also have loan production offices in Northern and Southern California, as well as in Washington, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, North Carolina, and New Jersey. Their commitment to providing the best products and services has propelled their success and garnered national recognition of their performance. Poppy Bank is 5-star rated by BauerFinancial, the nation's leading independent bank and credit union rating firm, and is recognized as one of the strongest financial institutions in the country. The Bank is governed by a strong team of Executive Officers and a dedicated Board of Directors formed entirely by accomplished business leaders. Poppy Bank exists to meet the banking needs of their clients and to make a positive difference in the communities they serve.