XFINITY drivers who remember ‘star gazing’ are now in the spotlight

RELATED: Full Road America schedule | Playoff standings It wasn't that long ago that guys such as Matt Tifft and Daniel Hemric and Cole Custer were watching NASCAR races as fans, either on the television or occasionally from the track. Today the three are among the new, young breed of drivers stepping into the fray, now finding themselves on the receiving end of the attention they once paid others. Hemric is 26, a bit older but still young enough to recall the feeling of awe anytime he rode past one of the most impressive race shops in NASCAR -- Dale Earnhardt Inc. in Mooresville, N.C. "That was always cool to be able to drive by there and see what this guy from Kannapolis had done for himself," Hemric said of the seven-time series champion and team owner. "I was 7-8 years old and I can remember watching the Bristol night race, actually sitting on the foot of my parents' bed and thinking to myself, 'Man, this is an incredible place to watch a race.' That's like my first memory of NASCAR and Bristol. The race -- Earnhardt goes on and moves Terry Labonte out of the way, spins him, and that's where he got the old 'rattle his cage' quote." Growing up in Kannapolis, Hemric said it wasn't unusual to run into NASCAR drivers or others involved in the sport, "but it was never a 1-on-1 situation; it was kind of like … being in Hollywood or somewhere and seeing an actor … just star-gazing as they walked by." Today, he's driving the No. 21 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. But he still remembers those early days of being a fan. "It’s cool to have the opportunity to see us the same way," he said. The Bristol night race is a point of reference for Tifft as well. The 21-year-old said he can remember being "six or seven, and I still had a bedtime back then. "I wasn't allowed to watch any night races except for Bristol," Tifft said. "I was allowed to watch until halfway and if I was good that day I was allowed to watch the end of the race. That was a big one in the summer for me because I would always be real excited about that and then the next week you'd be starting school, which I hated, so this was like that big celebration one of the summer." Tifft was a fan of Jeff Gordon. Custer, whose father Joe is president of Stewart-Haas Racing, has been around racing most of his life and says that as a youngster, he was a fan of Jason Leffler and Johnny Sauter. "I liked those guys' personalities and how they raced and everything," Custer said. "Definitely a lot of good memories of going to the race track with Dad." All three competed in the Camping World Truck Series and have since moved on to XFINITY competition where they are vying for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. Custer is in his first full year with SHR, piloting the No. 00 Ford. The biggest difference in driver/fan interaction today, they agree, is social media. But face-time at the track, whether it's the scheduled autograph signings or chance meetings in the garage, is still a big selling point for the sport. "I never had that (interaction), not to say the opportunities weren't there then but they weren't as right in front of our face as they are now on a day-to-day basis now with social media and the media pushing us in general," Hemric said. "I can remember, we all came up racing together, when it was all about the five or six elite guys. Nowadays, the way fans can interact it's not just those elite guys … "The opportunity to market yourself and brand yourself and have that interaction is at a whole different level and I'm just thankful for that. I think we all are and I think everybody in here owes that to everyone that's come before us for that reason." The popularity of the sport that drew them in as youngsters is something each believes can be attained once again. "We all got involved and were fans of it when it was at its peak," Tifft said, "and saw how great it can be and I think we still see it as that. "The competition is great and we all want to be able to have long careers where we can be successful in the Cup Series for a long way to come and have the fan base back with that. … It's part us and part making sure we're putting on a great show for the fans and interacting with them."