NASCAR: Daniel Hemric to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2021
By Asher Fair
Daniel Hemric is set to move from his part-time role at JR Motorsports to a full-time role at Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
Joe Gibbs Racing have announced that Daniel Hemric is set to drive the #18 Toyota full-time in the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
Hemric is set to replace Riley Herbst, who spent just one season behind the wheel of the #18 Toyota.
The 29-year-old Kannapolis, North Carolina native competed in 21 of the 33 races on the 2020 schedule behind the wheel of the #8 Chevrolet at JR Motorsports in a part-time role he landed after just one year behind the wheel of the #8 Chevrolet at Richard Childress Racing in the Cup Series.
The 2021 season is set to be Hemric’s third season as a full-time driver in the Xfinity Series and his sixth season of full-time competition at one of NASCAR’s top three levels.
Please help us welcome @DanielHemric to the JGR family! Daniel will be driving the No. 18 #Supra in the 2021 @XfinityRacing series. #TeamToyota pic.twitter.com/75kRb49RgY
— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) November 12, 2020
Here is what Hemric had to say about this opportunity in a team release.
"“It’s been quite a roller coaster ride for me over the last few years, but I can’t say how thankful I am for the opportunity to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing. Their reputation speaks for itself. I know they have high expectations for me, as I do as well, and I could not be more excited to chase the Xfinity Series championship with them next season.”"
Sponsorship and team personnel details have not yet been announced.
After competing for NTS Motorsports in the 2015 Truck Series season and Brad Keselowski Racing in the 2016 season and finishing in seventh and sixth place in the championship standings, respectively, he was promoted to the Xfinity Series in 2017 and spent two seasons competing for Richard Childress Racing.
He finished in fourth and third place in the standings in 2017 and 2018, respectively. That success ultimately led to his 2019 Cup Series promotion, which saw him win the Rookie of the Year Award with a 25th place finish in the standings before he was replaced by two-time Xfinity Series champion Tyler Reddick after just one season.
In 175 starts across the three NASCAR national series, including 87 in the Xfinity Series, Daniel Hemric has yet to win a race.
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But he has come close multiple times with nine runner-up finishes, including seven in the Xfinity Series and two this past season, and in a full season with Joe Gibbs Racing, he will have arguably his best chance yet to end that win drought.
As for Herbst’s future, there are rumors that he will move to Stewart-Haas Racing to replace Chase Briscoe behind the wheel of the #98 Ford, given the fact that Briscoe has been promoted to the Cup Series with Stewart-Haas Racing as the replacement for Clint Bowyer behind the wheel of the #14 Ford.
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The 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season is scheduled to get underway just over three months from today on Saturday, February 13 with the NASCAR Racing Experience 300 at Daytona International Speedway.