Staff Report | NASCAR.com
Richard Childress Racing announced Tuesday it will release Daniel Hemric as the driver of the team’s No. 8 Chevrolet following the 2019 season.
Hemric is in his first full-time Monster Energy Series season with the organization.
“Richard Childress Racing (RCR) has exercised its option and will release Daniel Hemric as driver of the No. 8 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Camaro ZL1 effective at the conclusion of the 2019 NASCAR race season,” a team statement read. “Daniel is a very talented driver and an outstanding person. We’d like to thank him for his commitment and dedication to RCR the past three years and wish him continued success in his future endeavors. Additional information on RCR’s Cup program will be announced at a later date.”
Hemric, 28, has one top-five finish and two top 10s through 27 races this year. His best showing is a third-place run at Chicagoland. He’s coming off a 17th-place result at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Prior to the 2019 season, the Kannapolis, North Carolina, native drove the No. 21 Chevrolet for RCR’s NASCAR Xfinity Series program. He qualified for the Championship 4 in both 2017 and 2018, with a best finish of third in the final 2018 standings. Hemric logged 23 top-five finishes in that two-year stretch.
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His move to the Monster Energy Series was announced in September 2018, with a number change coming in December. The No. 31 previously driven by Ryan Newman became the No. 8 for Hemric.
The number has long been associated with the Earnhardt family, which has deep ties to the Kannapolis community that Hemric also calls home. Dale Earnhardt Jr. broke into NASCAR’s top series with the No. 8, and his father and grandfather had used the number in several different racing series.
“I’m disappointed it ended like this, but we’ve got nine more races together,” Hemric said, in part, of the news.
His full tweet:
Forever grateful to Richard & everyone at @RCRracing for the opportunity. I’m disappointed it ended like this, but we’ve got nine more races together & some team goals that are still within reach. I’m going to do all I can to make sure we get those & finish the season strong.
