LATE ACCIDENT SPOILS HEMRIC’S STANDOUT PERFORMANCE AT CHARLOTTE
Date: May 29, 2021
Event: Alsco Uniforms 300 (Round 12 of 33)
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location: Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5-mile quad-oval)
Format: 200 laps (Stages: 45 laps / 45 laps / 110 laps)
Start / Finish: 3rd / 28th (Running, 186 of 200 laps)
Point Standing: 4th (412 points, -108 points out of first)
Race Winner: Ty Gibbs
Stage 1 Winner: Daniel Hemric
Stage 2 Winner: Daniel Hemric
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-45)
Daniel Hemric started Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway from the third position and won stage one.
The No. 18 Poppy Bank Toyota Supra wasted no time establishing itself as a contender Saturday afternoon as Hemric grabbed the lead on Lap 8 and began to pull away from the competition.
Through a pair of cautions and subsequent restarts, Hemric maintained the lead and held on to win the 45-lap stage.
Following the segment, the No. 18 team pitted for four fresh tires and fuel.
Stage 2 Recap (Laps 46-90)
Hemric started first and won stage two.
The second stage ran green for its entirety. Hemric built an advantage over second-place AJ Allmendinger and cruised to his fifth stage victory of the season.
After the stage, crew chief Dave Rogers called Hemric to pit road for four fresh tires and fuel.
Stage 3 Recap (Laps 91-200)
Hemric started the final stage first and finished 28th in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The Kannapolis, North Carolina native continued to lead early in the final stage until being passed by Chase Briscoe several laps before a caution on Lap 120.
During the caution, Hemric brought the Poppy Bank Supra to pit road. As he attempted to exit his pit stall, Hemric was blocked in by the No. 13 car ahead. The misfortune forced Hemric to have to back up before leaving. The initial issue being blocked in cost Hemric eight spots on pit road. To make matters worse for the No. 18 team, NASCAR penalized the No. 18 team for equipment interference because an uncontrolled tire went into a competitor’s pit stall while that team was executing their pit stop. The penalty dropped Hemric to the rear of the field for the ensuing restart.
The setback didn’t change how strong the Poppy Bank Supra was on Saturday afternoon. Hemric rocketed back through the field and moved from 27th to 15th within three laps on the restart. The No. 18 was in the top 10 again on Lap 134 and Hemric was scored eighth when the next caution waved on Lap 145.
The Poppy Bank team gained Hemric a position on pit road and he moved up to fifth after choosing the inside lane for a restart with 50 laps remaining.
On the Lap-151 restart, Hemric had to check up when the leader of his lane spun exiting turn two. The No. 18 Supra lost two positions as Hemric slowed for the accident.
Hemric gained two positions before the next caution on Lap 182. After opting not to pit, Hemric restarted fifth with 14 laps to go.
When the field raced towards turn one, Hemric was hooked from the outside to cause a multi-car accident. The damage to the Poppy Bank Supra proved to be terminal and ended the No. 18 team’s day early.
Additional Notes
Hemric led a race-high 105 laps in Saturday’s race. He has now led 310 laps on the season – second to Austin Cindric.
Saturday’s race marked the first time in Hemric’s career that he swept both stages of a race. He is now tied with Cindric for the series lead in stage wins (five).
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs earned the team’s third victory of the season. Harrison Burton ended the day third with Brandon Jones eighth and Hemric 28th.
Next Up: The NASCAR Xfinity Series travels to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course next Saturday for another road course race. The race will be broadcast live Saturday, June 5, at 1 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1, MRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
-JGR-
Comments