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Daniel Hemric is 26 and that makes the Richard Childress Racing driver the old man among the Sunoco rookies in this year’s NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoff field.
Older than JR Motorsports phenom William Byron (19).
Older than Stewart-Haas speedster Cole Custer (19).
And older than Joe Gibbs Racing’s lone representative, Matt Tifft (21).
The four make up one-third of the 12-driver field and they’ll get down to business Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway where race No. 1 in the Round of 12 is scheduled (8 p.m. ET, NBCSN).
Byron, winner of three races, goes in as the No. 1 seed, ahead of JRM teammates Justin Allgaier (second) and Elliott Sadler (third).
Brennan Poole (Chip Ganassi Racing), Ryan Reed (Roush Fenway Racing), Jeremy Clements (Jeremy Clements Racing), Blake Koch (Kaulig Racing), Brendan Gaughan (RCR) and Michael Annett (JRM) round out the 12-team field.
Hemric joined RCR this season after two full seasons of Camping World Truck Series competition for team owner Brad Keselowski. His No. 21 team is a hodgepodge of talented folks who have experience but not a lot of time working together.
But they’ve managed to learn and grow and improve enough throughout the season to make Hemric more than a passable candidate to advance to Homestead and the championship-determining race.
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“Danny (Stockman, crew chief) is a good leader and he’s put groups together in the past and made them work,” Hemric told NASCAR.com recently. “I think that’s what helped it thrive early and often.
“It all starts at the top with Stockman and myself just trying to be leaders for our group. At end of day, the majority of (the crew) are all racers so that makes it easier. That makes it a common goal on which direction on the rope they’re pulling, makes it all go the same direction and that’s what it’s all about.”
Hemric managed 12 top-10 finishes during the regular season, including a runner-up finish at Mid-Ohio. There have been rookie mistakes here and there, but not enough to sidetrack a team that’s had the playoffs in its sights since February.
Others have been faster, but Hemric and his group have improved throughout the year and look strong heading into the postseason.
“I don’t think we unload and are one of the ones people are automatically pointing at as a dominant car,” he said. “But … with the strength of our team and knowing we can contend and run inside the top 10, top five throughout the majority of the events, even with the Cup guys in there; take them out and we’re a solid top-five car, top-six car no matter where we’ve been.
“We had to take that step; that’s not exactly where we’ve been all year. That’s a testament to how much we’ve grown as a group and how much better our equipment has gotten, how much better Stockman and I are working together. Maximizing our days, that’s what’s going to be the deciding factor of if we can become one of those that people point at as one of the ones to beat.”
Hemric made it one round last year in Truck Series postseason and finished sixth overall. The year before, he was seventh at season’s end. While he is a rookie in the XFINITY series, he admitted he’s not a fan of the moniker.
“I like to think that everything I went through growing up and getting to this point, you don’t want to be classified as a rookie,” he said. “But you look back now and there are things and decisions I wish I had made differently … but it’s been a year of learning. …
“Knowing the magnitude of how one OK day has to benefit you versus pushing too much and having a bad day and how that affects your playoff chances.
“I think I’m better for it, I think the team is better for it; we’ve made a huge step in growing together.”