NASCAR: Daniel Hemric talks ‘special’ Talladega sponsorship

In his final scheduled start of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, Daniel Hemric is set to drive a CELSIUS-sponsored car for Kaulig Racing.

Reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Daniel Hemric competes full-time behind the wheel of the #11 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series and is set to compete in Saturday afternoon’s playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway, the Sparks 300, in pursuit of a second consecutive title.

He is also set to make the eighth of his eight scheduled 2022 Cup Series starts with the team behind the wheel of the #16 Chevrolet in this Sunday afternoon’s YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

He is set to do so in a CELSIUS-sponsored Camaro ZL1.

Prior to his arrival at Kaulig Racing in 2022, the 31-year-old Kannapolis, North Carolina native had never had the chance to work with CELSIUS, the energy drink which features healthy-energy formulas clinically proven to offer significant health benefits to its dedicated consumers and racers alike. But he was well aware of their rising presence in NASCAR.

“I had not worked with them in prior seasons,” Daniel Hemric told Beyond the Flag. “But myself being with different organizations prior to being here at Kaulig Racing for the 2022 season, I had seen CELSIUS, whether it be our local Walmart or just vendors around town.”

Hemric discovered the product at the race track.

“But the first place I had actually heard of CELSIUS was at the race track,” he said. “I had been passing by the Kaulig Racing haulers, like I said, while I was driving for other organizations, and I would see many team officials and other PR reps and just personnel in the garage stopping by to grab a CELSIUS out of the coolers by the Kaulig Racing haulers.

“I thought that was always cool to see that CELSIUS had come into the sport and kind of created a long-standing relationship within Kaulig Racing. And now everyone in the garage knew that when they wanted their little pick-me-up, CELSIUS was the place to go there behind the Kaulig Racing transporters.

“So fast forward to this year, obviously Kaulig Racing has maintained that relationship and continued to build that relationship with CELSIUS prior to me getting here. Me getting here and kind of becoming more familiar with the product, obviously I’ve had my opportunities to actually get my own hands on it, and really just seeing how they’ve grown and developed their relationship within this race team and within our sport has been special to see.

“It’s cool to see them take a leap into the deep end of the pool, if you will, with not only myself, but they were a primary of Justin Haley’s back at Daytona, and to see them do a second primary and do it with me is pretty special.”

Daniel Hemric hopes that his relationship and Kaulig Racing’s relationship with CELSIUS can continue to grow and that the brand will continue to invest in the sport.

“For me, any time you have a partner, not just a partner that jumped straight into the sport and sponsors at the Cup level, a lot of the time you don’t see that partner sustain, whether it be they don’t feel like the teams did them a good job pushing their product or just the return on their investment wasn’t great,” Hemric explained.

“I think that’s what’s really been crucial to the growth of the CELSIUS and Kaulig Racing partnership. They continue to reinvest within our sport with our race team, and because of that and the return, they continue to up what they’re doing year after year. It’s no small feat to sponsor a vehicle at the NASCAR Cup Series level, and now this is the second race, first race with myself, that they’ve done it at this level.

“Hats off to them for continuing to grow. It’s no different than any other partner, whether they’re coming into the sport or sticking around the sport, they’re always bringing a ton of individuals to the race track and just having the opportunity to build more relationships.

“That’s what it’s all about. That’s why this partnership works and why we look forward to continuing to grow and build throughout the years ahead.”

The Sparks 300 is set to be broadcast live on USA Network from Talladega Superspeedway beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET this Saturday, October 1, and the YellaWood 500 is set to be broadcast live on NBC from the same venue beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 2. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now, and don’t miss either race!