Daniel Hemric bags Xfinity championship with first NASCAR national series win

by racedaysaeditor | Posted on Saturday, November 6th, 2021

Daniel Hemric, driver of the #18 Poppy Bank Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2021 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Daniel Hemric picked the perfect time to win his first NASCAR national series race—and a title came with it.

Daniel Hemric, driver of the #18 Poppy Bank Toyota, takes the checked flag over Austin Cindric, driver of the #22 CarShop Ford, to win the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2021 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Executing an aggressive bump-and-run in Saturday night’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race, Hemric passed Austin Cindric in the final two corners at Phoenix Raceway.

Approaching the finish line, the cars collided side-to-side, with Hemric crossing the stripe .030 seconds ahead of Cindric—roughly five feet—denying the driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford a second straight championship.

The victory came in Hemric’s 208th NASCAR national series start, silencing critics who kept asking, “Will Hemric ever win a race?”

The answer came from crew chief Dave Rogers moments after the winning driver crossed the stripe and clinched the title.

Daniel Hemric, driver of the #18 Poppy Bank Toyota, celebrates after winning the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2021 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

“How about that, champion?” Rogers said. “You’ll never have to hear that stupid question again.”

“Never again!” Hemric shouted in reply.

Hemric, who is leaving the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in favor of a ride with Kaulig Racing next year, was unapologetic about moving Cindric’s Ford up the track to win the race at the end of a two-lap overtime that extended the event from 200 to 204 laps.

“I’m blacked out, blacked out,” Hemric said at the start/finish line after turning a back flip off the roof of his car. “Just knew I had to be the first one to the line. I thought I let him get too much of a run off of (Turn) 4 (on the first lap of overtime).

Austin Cindric, driver of the #22 CarShop Ford, leads John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the #54 Mobil 1 Toyota, to the green flag to start the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2021 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

“Drove into (Turn) 1, knew I was close, not to completely use them up, but we work our asses off for an opportunity like this—excuse my language. This is what it’s all about, winning at the second highest level in all of motorsports. What an honor…

“How about those race fans? That back flip good enough for you? I’ve been waiting a long damn time to do that.”

Cindric took the loss with consummate grace.

“Until you spin somebody out, it’s not dirty racing,” said Cindric, who entered the championship event with five wins to his credit this season. “If everyone in the stands enjoyed it, it’s good racing.

John Hunter Nemechek, driver of the #54 Mobil 1 Toyota, drives wits sparks during the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2021 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

“I’m appreciative of the opportunity to race on such a big stage, race for Roger Penske, represent Ford Performance, all of our sponsors that helped us this season. It would have been awesome to finish this out. I felt like we had a dominant race car, felt like we did everything right. Come up a little short.”

As a consolation prize, Cindric secured the Xfinity Series Owners Championship for Roger Penske with his runner-up result.

The other two Championship 4 drivers—Noah Gragson and AJ Allmendinger—were in contention at the end. Gragson slammed the wall shortly after a restart on Lap 193 and fell to 12th at the finish.

Allmendinger suffered a loose wheel late in the race and spun in Turn 2 on Lap 181, causing the eighth of 10 cautions. Cindric, who led a race-high 113 laps, had a commanding lead at the time, but the yellow bunched the field and set up the late-race shootout.

Harrison Burton ran third on Saturday, followed by Riley Herbst and Justin Haley. John Hunter Nemechek, Brandon Jones, Brett Moffitt, Justin Allgaier and Sheldon Creed completed the top 10.

Interviews:

2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion and race winner Daniel Hemric (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) –

NASCAR Xfinity Series championship-winning crew chief Dave Rogers (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota) and championship-winning team Joe Gibbs Racing’s Vice Chairman and COO Coy Gibbs –

NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4 drivers (final standings finish): Second-place finisher Austin Cindric (No. 22 Team Penske Ford); third-place finisher Noah Gragson ( No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet); fourth-place finisher AJ Allmendinger (No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet) –

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – 23rd Annual NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race

Phoenix Raceway

Avondale, Arizona

Saturday, November 6, 2021

1. (4) Daniel Hemric (P), Toyota, 204.

2. (1) Austin Cindric (P), Ford, 204.

3. (36) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 204.

4. (5) Riley Herbst, Ford, 204.

5. (8) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 204.

6. (2) John Hunter Nemechek(i), Toyota, 204.

7. (6) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 204.

8. (20) Brett Moffitt, Chevrolet, 204.

9. (3) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 204.

10. (10) Sheldon Creed(i), Chevrolet, 204.

11. (13) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 204.

12. (7) Noah Gragson (P), Chevrolet, 204.

13. (11) Sam Mayer #, Chevrolet, 204.

14. (12) AJ Allmendinger (P), Chevrolet, 204.

15. (32) Dylan Lupton, Toyota, 204.

16. (21) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 204.

17. (14) Ryan Sieg, Ford, 204.

18. (22) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 204.

19. (17) Myatt Snider, Chevrolet, 204.

20. (19) Brandon Brown, Chevrolet, 204.

21. (27) David Starr, Toyota, 204.

22. (29) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, 204.

23. (9) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 204.

24. (23) Tommy Joe Martins, Chevrolet, 204.

25. (33) Sage Karam, Chevrolet, 204.

26. (24) Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 204.

27. (18) Kyle Sieg, Ford, 204.

28. (30) Ryan Vargas #, Chevrolet, 204.

29. (35) Matt Mills, Chevrolet, 204.

30. (26) Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 202.

31. (25) Bayley Currey(i), Chevrolet, 200.

32. (16) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, Accident, 194.

33. (15) Jade Buford #, Chevrolet, Accident, 193.

34. (28) Stefan Parsons, Chevrolet, Engine, 123.

35. (34) Joe Graf Jr., Chevrolet, Accident, 97.

36. (31) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, Accident, 57.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 85.845 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 22 Mins, 35 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.030 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 10 for 61 laps.

Lead Changes: 16 among 5 drivers.

Lap Leaders: J. Nemechek(i) 1-20;A. Cindric (P) 21-47;N. Gragson (P) 48;D. Hemric (P) 49-66;J. Nemechek(i) 67-85;D. Hemric (P) 86-92;N. Gragson (P) 93;D. Hemric (P) 94-114;A. Cindric (P) 115-130;M. Annett 131;A. Cindric (P) 132-183;N. Gragson (P) 184;A. Cindric (P) 185-201;D. Hemric (P) 202;A. Cindric (P) 203;D. Hemric (P) 204.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Austin Cindric (P) 5 times for 113 laps; Daniel Hemric (P) 5 times for 48 laps; John Hunter Nemechek(i) 2 times for 39 laps; Noah Gragson (P) 3 times for 3 laps; Michael Annett 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 22,18,54,7,9,19,16,1,98,11

Stage #2 Top Ten: 18,22,54,7,9,16,11,20,1,98