RICHMOND, Va. — Daniel Hemric is confident as he figures out where he’ll race next year after Richard Childress Racing announced this week Hemric would not return to the No. 8 team after this season.
“I’m not done,” Hemric said Friday at Richmond Raceway.
Hemric said he is encouraged by the support he has received since the announcement this week.
“I’ve actually been very blown away by the support,” Hemric said. “It’s very humbling to have not only the people inside the industry but your peers as far as the guys you race with on the racetrack. Some of the stars of our sport reached out with their gratitude and their praise for what they feel like you’re doing on and off the racetrack. Those are the guys who really see you in the heat of the moment. Having everyone on that side support me like they have, I think that has led to a lot of phone calls and a lot of conversations with a lot of race teams over the past week. For that I”m thankful.”
Reigning Xfinity Series champion Tyler Reddick is expected to take over the No. 8 ride next year at RCR. As for Hemric, a rookie in Cup this year, he is open to any series for next year.
“I don’t think there is much more I could have done on this side to change the outcome, but with that being said, maybe it is time to rebuild the stock,” Hemric said. “Maybe go back Truck racing or Xfinity racing, or whatever the next opportunity is, to build that stock and show I can win. I’ve won in every single level that I ever ran full-time in on my way up the ladder.”
Hemric understands that even with that level of success early in his career, he’s never won in any of NASCAR’s three national series.
“People always talk about not winning races, hasn’t won a NASCAR race,” said Hemric, whose best finish this season is fifth at Talladega in April, one of two top-10 finishes he’s had this year. “On the flip side of that, I’ve said time and time again, you can go back to any interview I’ve ever done, I feel like I’ve always been a part of a build process. I’ve always been coming into race teams that need the work and as a driver, I’ve always had to work on myself as well. I kind of thrive under that.
“I don’t mind being a part of the build process. The success RCR has had as a Xfinity team this year I feel like started way back in 2017 between myself, Austin (Dillon), Ty (Dillon), and everybody running those cars as much as we were to get that program to where it’s at today. I feel like we were on that same path on the Cup side, we just haven’t seen it come to full vision yet.”
Now, Hemric’s vision will have to lead him elsewhere.
“It is late in the game and things have to start materializing pretty quick in order for me to land in a seat that I am hoping to get by next year in any form,” he said.
“I just want to make sure I end up in a good situation that can ultimately turn into a long-term deal down the road to be successful and desirable in the sport. You want to make sure you eliminate any possibility of something like this happening again. The best way to do that is to put yourself in a position where people can know you can win races. I’m looking forward to whatever is next. I’ve been down and out many of times. Everybody knows my situation, where I’ve come from, the things I’ve overcome to get to here. It’s not different. My back has been put against the wall and now that you’ve made it to the top level of the sport, I don’t care where I end up at. I’m not done.”