Daniel Hemric made his first start of 2014 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Friday night in the series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The main goal for Hemric’s first time racing on a 1.5-mile track, was to complete all the laps and learn as much as possible while doing so. Daniel posted the 15th fastest time in Thursday’s opening practice and 10th quick in final practice and followed it up with a 13th place qualifying effort in Friday’s knockout qualifying session.
The green flag dropped shortly after 8:20pm with Daniel starting on the inside of row seven. With an early caution on lap four, crew chief Chris Rice brought Hemric down pit road for four tires, fuel, and chassis adjustment after the initial report was he was too free. The green flag dropped for the second time on lap nine and by lap twenty Hemric was knocking on the door of breaking back inside the top-20, before the second caution flag flew at lap twenty-three. Hemric pitted with the leaders, once again for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment, with a great pit stop Hemric was able to pick up two positions on pit road.
When the green flag flew once again at lap twenty-eight it saw Hemric just inside the top-20. Hemric continued to race, log laps, and learning throughout the evening and was scored in eighteenth at the halfway point. When the fifth caution flag flew at lap seventy, Chris Rice brought Hemric down pit road for a major swing which included four tires, fuel, track bar, and an air pressure adjustment, once again the pit crew helped Hemric out picking up an additional two positions. Hemric continued to race inside the top-20 reporting “tight in traffic”as the laps closed down. At lap one hundred Hemric pitted for the last time, a four tire, fuel, track bar, and wedge adjustment.
With several cautions in the closing thirty laps, Hemric found himself racing inside the top-15 and was able to race his way to a twelfth place finish in only his third NCWTS start.
From the Driver’s Seat with Daniel Hemric: “It was great to get back into the NCWTS! Thank you to Bill Gallaher, Bob Newberry, and everyone at NTS Motorsports for giving me this opportunity. It was great to work with Chris Rice and Ty (Dillon). It seem as if all the guys at NTS Motorsports click together well and it made for a very successful weekend.”
On top of Box with Crew Chief Chris Rice: “I had a blast working with Daniel (Hemric). He is an awesome kid with a tremendous amount of talent. He did a great job after not being in a truck in over a year and this being his first time at a mile and a half speedway. He completed all the laps and learned something on each and everyone one of them. Once again the teamwork at NTS Motorsports showed that we are all headed in the right direction as we head into the off season.”
NTS Motorsports PR
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