AVONDALE, ARIZONA – MARCH 06: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #8 I Am Second Chevrolet, practices during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series FanShield 500 at Phoenix Raceway on March 06, 2020, in Avondale, Arizona. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
Tyler Reddick in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet wasn’t running at the finish of Sunday’s FanShield 500, but the top finishers in the NASCAR Cup Series event certainly knew he had been there.
Reddick started 29th in a field of 38, but by the time the second stage ended on lap 190, he had worked his way up to fourth, having passed Kyle Busch for the position. But after a two-tire call and a second-place restart on lap 222, Reddick was shuffled back in the running order.
HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 16: Daniel Hemric, driver of the #8 myblu Chevrolet, drives during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16, 2019, in Homestead, Florida. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
Sunday was bittersweet for Daniel Hemric.
After finishing 12th in his final run in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Hemric was crowned Sunoco Rookie of the Year in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
Next year, however, Hemric won’t be driving in the Cup series, having been replaced in his RCR ride by two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Tyler Reddick. Hemric will compete in 21 races for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series in 2020.
“Yeah, I’m really pumped up starting right to getting to work on that deal,” Hemric said after the Ford EcoBoost 400. “It’s kind of a breath of fresh air knowing I’ve got the opportunity to go back and… having runs like tonight make me go into the offseason knowing I can compete and race at this level.”
Hemric finished 25th in the final standings in his first season at NASCAR’s top level.
“It’s the little things when you have a season like we’ve had that get you over that emotional hump,” he said. “I mean, I passed a seven-time champion (Jimmie Johnson) on the last lap of a 60 lap run at Homestead. Those are little victories you find in the light at the end of the tunnel in years like this.”
HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA – NOVEMBER 16: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #2 Tame the Beast Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Ford EcoBoost 300 and the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16, 2019, in Homestead, Florida. Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – With his girlfriend expecting a baby, Tyler Reddick confessed on Thursday that he had practiced changing diapers on a pet cat.
Now, after winning Saturday’s Ford EcoBoost 300 and his second straight NASCAR Xfinity Series championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Reddick gets to name the baby.
KANSAS CITY, KANSAS – OCTOBER 19: Daniel Hemric, driver of the #8 Caterpillar Chevrolet, poses with a pole award pedal car after qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 19, 2019, in Kansas City, Kansas. Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
Daniel Hemric may be out of the Playoffs and out of his ride at Richard Childress Racing next year, but that didn’t stop the driver of the No. 8 RCR Chevrolet from winning the pole position for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Austin Dillon Pilots New Car During Two-Day Test at Richmond Raceway
Following more than two years of development from concept to reality, NASCAR’s Next Gen car hit the track for the first time for a two-day test at Richmond Raceway.
