MARTINSVILLE, VA.: Daniel Hemric lost the battle Saturday night at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, but the Joe Gibbs Racing driver still has an opportunity to win the war.
Seeking his first career NASCAR victory, Hemric seemed on his way to his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series win but when the caution waved on Lap 244 when Justin Haley spun in Turn 3, Hemric immediately found JR Motorsport’s Noah Gragson on his back bumper.
Hemric restart the first of two NASCAR overtimes on the bottom lane, but an aggressive restart by Noah Gragson saw the lead and the win slip away.
Another crash coming to the white flag allowed an opportunity for Hemric to regroup and try and swipe the lead away from Gragson. Hemric took the bottom lane for the restart allowing Austin Cindric to take the outside – dropping the No. 18 Poppy Bank Toyota Supra to third.
On the restart, Gragson escaped with the lead and eventual win while Hemric had to settle for third and his fifth top-five in the last six races.
After the race, Hemric didn’t know how to feel. The Kannapolis, N.C. native is on his way to a Championship 4 appearance for the third time in his Xfinity race, but an opportunity to see a win dimmish right before his eyes.
“I have got to tell you – it’s the first time as a racer that I’ve had to choose to not put myself in the best position to win,” Hemric said. “I wanted to line up on the top (for restart). I felt like I could beat him if everything is all fair games, but the ultimate goal at the start of the season with this Poppy Bank Toyota Supra team was do what we officially have a shot to do in Phoenix next weekend.
“It just felt like we had a shot to minimize the damage and that’s what we did. I’m so disappointed. This car should be in Victory Lane.”
The next to last caution on Saturday was trigged by Justin Haley who battled brake issues throughout the race. For Hemric – it was tough to drive by the scene of the incident and see the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet car that he’ll pilot in 2022 – the likely culprit of keeping him out of Victory Lane.
“I can promise you the last thing I wanted to see was the car I’m driving next year backwards with five laps to go,” added Hemric. “That was less than ideal.”
Hemric though won’t have time to dwell on the shortcomings of Martinsville.
The Championship 4 race is a week away and Hemric is determined to depart Joe Gibbs Racing a champion with or without his first career victory.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
