In the days leading up to Friday night’s Boys and Girls Club of the Blue Ridge 200 at Martinsville Speedway, Daniel Hemric quietly practiced his backflip in his backyard. The signature celebration move had been dormant since that magical night in November 2021, when the Kannapolis, North Carolina native clinched the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship at Phoenix with his first and only national series win. “I thought, ‘The old man’s still got it,’” Hemric recalled after proving he indeed still had it, sticking the landing on the front stretch at the historic Virginia half-mile after capturing his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory in dramatic fashion.
The 34-year-old’s path in NASCAR has been anything but conventional. After losing his Cup Series ride following a difficult 2024 campaign, Hemric found himself back in the Truck Series driving the No. 19 Chevrolet for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing – his first appearance in NASCAR’s third tier in nearly seven years. A few races into the 2025 season, that decision has already paid dividends with a grandfather clock trophy now destined for his dining room and a $50,000 Triple Truck Challenge bonus in his pocket.
Beyond the trophies and prize money, Hemric’s return to the Truck Series was driven by something far more profound. His career has taken him from Trucks to Xfinity to Cup and back down the NASCAR ladder multiple times, but his motivation for this latest chapter transcends championship aspirations or career advancement.
“I told Bill McAnally our first time we sat down together that one of my selfish main goals was that, you know, my wife and I have spent in victory lane together, whether people know it or not, hundreds of times throughout our lives growing up,” Hemric revealed in his post-race interview. “And my kids have never experienced that. My daughter was two when I won the championship, but my kids, as they can remember, have never had a stand-up victory lane with dad. So, one of my reasons I wanted to come back here was to try to win and give them those memories.”
Friday night’s dramatic victory didn’t come easily, arriving after Daniel Hemric navigated through chaos that took out race dominator Corey Heim and then the battle between Ty Majeski and Kaden Honeycutt that ended with both trucks in the wall. With five laps remaining, Hemric found himself behind teammate Tyler Ankrum, setting up a moment that validated not just his own decision, but an entire team’s belief.
Daniel Hemric on winning Martinsville and whether it validates his decision to go truck racing this year: @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/myWdViBH6n
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 29, 2025
The emotional confession resonated throughout the garage area, where Hemric has built strong relationships during his NASCAR journey, including with Cup Series stars like Bubba Wallace. Bubba even tweeted “First one at the ville.. nothing like it! gladly help ya move that thing in the crib @DanielHemric.“ While his daughter was present for his championship celebration in 2021, she was too young to remember the moment, and Hemric’s desire to create lasting memories with his family drove his decision to restart his career in a series where he believed he could immediately contend for wins.
“It’s validating all of us, right? Validating his decision to come do this, validating my decision to come do this,” Hemric said of the win, which was particularly meaningful for crew chief Josh Graham, who earned his first victory atop the pit box. The triumph came in the same chassis that had already won twice at Martinsville with Christian Eckes in 2024, marking McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s third consecutive victory at the paperclip-shaped track.
The win represents a full-circle moment for Daniel Hemric, who has experienced just about every high and low NASCAR racing can offer. From his Xfinity Series championship in 2021 to losing Cup Series opportunities with Richard Childress Racing after 2019 and again after 2024, Hemric’s resilience has been a defining characteristic of his career. Veterans like Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick have spoken previously about Hemric’s talent and work ethic, with Harvick once noting that “Daniel is someone who appreciates every opportunity because he’s had to fight for everything he’s earned.”
“Not a Step Back” – Hemric’s Family-First Philosophy
When Hemric announced his move from Kaulig Racing in the Cup Series to McAnally-Hilgemann Racing in the Truck Series for 2025, many questioned whether he was taking a step backwards in his career. The veteran driver addressed these concerns head-on in a SiriusXM NASCAR Radio interview before the season began.
“It’s a question that I actually had to lean heavily on myself a couple of nights there, laying in bed, just trying to think of what you wanted to achieve,” Hemric explained. “When I hear people say taking a step back, I’m like, my goodness, you’re still competing at one of the top three series of the sport that you only dreamed of competing at from the age of five.” For Hemric, the decision wasn’t about prestige or status in NASCAR’s hierarchy – it was about finding the right opportunity to achieve what mattered most.
What mattered most, it turned out, was creating those victory lane memories with his family. “Winning and having the opportunity to compete at the highest levels… it’s all weighed on me that my kids haven’t really got to experience much of that,” Hemric confessed. “This opportunity gives me a chance to make some of those lifetime memories with them.” After his Martinsville triumph, the first piece of that mission was accomplished, with the potential for more to come during a season that also marks NAPA Auto Parts’ 100th anniversary and McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s 35th year partnering with the renowned parts retailer.
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