Daniel Hemric / No. 18 Poppy Bank Toyota Supra Preview
NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway
No. 18 Poppy Bank Toyota Supra News and Notes
HEMRIC AT PHOENIX: Daniel Hemric has two top-five finishes and four top-10s in seven career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Phoenix Raceway. Earlier this season, Hemric finished 23rd at Phoenix after contact on an overtime restart. Prior to his misfortune that day, he led 44 laps and won stage two. He also has experience at the track in the NASCAR Cup Series (two starts) and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (three starts).
SEASON RECAP: Through 32 races this season, Hemric has posted 14 top-five finishes, 20 top-10s and 615 laps led. Five of his 14 top-five finishes have come during the playoffs as the Kannapolis, North Carolina native has recorded an impressive 5.3-average finish through six playoff races.
ROGERS’ RESUME: Crew chief Dave Rogers has experience at Phoenix Raceway in both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series. In 18 Cup Series starts atop the pit box, Rogers has three top-five finishes, nine top-10s and 496 laps led. The Marshfield, Vermont native’s teams have posted four top-five finishes, five top-10s and 75 laps led in nine Xfinity Series races at the one-mile tri-oval.
CHAMPIONSHIP 4 EXPERIENCE: Both Hemric and Rogers have been a part of the Championship 4 before. This marks Hemric’s third Championship 4 appearance after previously advancing in 2017 and 2018. In the 2017 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he started fourth and was running up front before a mechanical issue relegated him to a 34th-place finish. The next year in 2018, Hemric started 10th and finished fourth as he ultimately ended up third in the championship standings. For Rogers, this will be his first appearance in the Xfinity Series Championship 4, but he did lead Carl Edwards to the Cup Series Championship 4 in 2016. That night, Edwards led 47 laps before a late-race accident spoiled his championship bid.
POPPY BANK: Poppy Bank will be featured as the primary sponsor of the No. 18 Supra in Saturday’s race at Phoenix Raceway. Poppy Bank is a 5-star rated organization and is recognized as one of the strongest financial institutions in the country. Since opening its first branch in 2005, Poppy Bank has grown to over $3 Billion in assets with branches across the San Francisco Bay Area, Roseville, and Southern California.
JGR AT PHOENIX: Joe Gibbs Racing owns 13 Xfinity Series wins at Phoenix Raceway. In 100 combined starts at the track, the organization has tallied 43 top-five finishes, 68 top-10s and 2,964 laps led. Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, Brandon Jones, and Joey Logano have taken JGR to victory lane in Xfinity Series competition at Phoenix.
CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE: Joe Gibbs Racing has claimed five Xfinity Series owner’s championships (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2016) and one driver’s championship (Daniel Suarez, 2016). Overall, JGR has earned an Xfinity Series-record 184 victories, including a series-leading 11 wins this season.
TUNE IN: Coverage of the Xfinity Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway is scheduled for Saturday, November 6, at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Daniel Hemric, Driver of the No. 18 Poppy Bank Toyota Supra
Talk about going to Phoenix to race for the championship…
“At the beginning of the year, this is the ultimate goal and we’ve put ourselves in position to where now it’s time to go out there and get the job done. We’ve had a good season. There were definitely some ups and downs, but I think that is what has made us stronger as a team. I feel like we have as good a chance as anyone to go to Phoenix and win the race and win the championship. That is my mindset and has been since the first time I sat down with Dave Rogers (crew chief) to talk about the season. I am confident in what our Poppy Bank team is capable of and I’m fired up about this weekend.”
About Poppy Bank
Since opening their first branch in January 2005, Poppy Bank has grown to over $3 billion in assets and is recognized as one of the strongest financial institutions in the country. Poppy has branches throughout California and provides loan services throughout the nation including commercial and multi-family, small business and PACE (green lending) products. 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. 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.
-JGR-