Daniel Hemric Dover International Speedway Recap 2016

Daniel Hemric (@DanielHemric) carried the momentum of his career-best finish (third) at Kansas Speedway, following up with a top-10 finish in his second-career start at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. Hemric battled the handling of his No. 19 Autism Delaware/Oakmont Management Group Ford F-150 and struggled to maintain his track position late in the race. However, his Brad Keselowski Racing team rallied in the closing laps, and Hemric was able to claim a ninth-place finish at the Monster Mile.
 
Running the seventh and fifth-fastest laps in the weekend’s two practice sessions, Hemric was scored in the eighth position for the start of the Jacob Companies 200 after qualifying was rained out and the field was set per the NASCAR rule book.
 
Following the wave of the green flag, Hemric was still scored in the eighth spot when the first caution flag of the day waved on lap 44. Reporting that he was free in and tight off the corners, crew chief Chad Kendrick provided the No. 19 Ford F-150 with four tires, fuel and a track-bar adjustment. Hemric restarted in the seventh position and reported that the adjustments made on the first pit stop helped, but he still was too free to attack the entry. Fighting his way up into the top five on lap 50, Hemric had dropped to seventh by the time the yellow flag waved on lap 81.
 
Stating that he was getting freer and freer as the race went on, Hemric was provided with right-side tires, fuel and a track-bar adjustment to tighten up his Ford F-150. The decision to take two tires allowed Hemric to gain track position, and he was third when green-flag racing resumed on lap 85. Despite a strong restart, once his tires began to wear, Hemric began to lose positions, falling back as far as 15th on lap 122. With Hemric reporting to his crew that he was “just barely hanging on” to his extremely loose F-150, the No. 19 crew would have another chance to take a big swing at handling. Kendrick made the call for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment, and quick work by the pit crew put his driver in the 11th position for the green flag. 
 
When the final caution flag of the day waved on lap 169, Hemric stated that the handling improved briefly, but that his loss of overall grip kept him from being able to gain track position. Kendrick made one last swing at adjustments with four tires, fuel and both wedge and track-bar adjustments. With only a few competitors choosing to pit, Hemric was back in the 14th position when the last green-flag run began. Over the course of the final 26 laps, Hemric fought hard despite still being loose in, managing to work his way up to the ninth position before the checkered flag waved.

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