Daniel Hemric, Noah Gragson, Todd Gilliland look forward to Cup races
By Bob Pockrass
FOX Sports NASCAR Writer
Entering last fall, Daniel Hemric, Noah Gragson and Todd Gilliland had no thoughts about entering several NASCAR Cup Series races this year.
But just as things change quickly on the racetrack, they can change quickly off of it.
Kaulig Racing needed drivers to fill out the schedule for its second Cup car and approached Gragson (its Xfinity Series rival who competes full time at JR Motorsports) and Hemric (its new Xfinity Series driver) about filling those races. Front Row Motorsports found itself without a driver in early November and opted to promote Gilliland from trucks after deals with other potential candidates didn’t solidify.
These three drivers now approach 2022 with surprise opportunities, which, if they make the most of them, could change their lives.
"You play NASCAR video games as a kid to be able to race in the Cup Series and get that opportunity," Gragson said. "It's everything you ever dream of, and to be able to race against the big boys, the big dogs … it's a career thing for me and a goal that I've been striving for."
Noah Gragson on his 2022 Cup opportunity
Gragson will attempt to make the Daytona 500 this week driving for Beard Motorsports, which enters races only at Daytona and Talladega. He also will drive 14 races for Kaulig Racing. Hemric, the defending Xfinity champion who drove for Joe Gibbs Racing last year, will be in Kaulig Racing’s No. 16 car for eight races, including the Daytona 500, in which he is locked into the field.
"I had zero Cup races when I signed on with Kaulig Racing [for Xfinity]," Hemric said. "Getting the phone call [saying] you’re going to be in the 500 — I didn’t know if I would have a chance to mix it up with those guys again, let alone the great American race."
For Gilliland, the opportunity is still surreal. He was testing at Daytona and in some ways couldn’t believe it. A highly touted prospect, the 21-year-old has had some success but has not been nearly as dominant as some expected when he entered full-time truck racing four years ago. He has just two wins in 93 starts.
"At the tests, I was in the draft, and Ryan Blaney, he pushed me to the corner. I'm like, ‘This is crazy,’" Gilliland said. "And for the Daytona 500, I'm sure it’s going to be the same way, just drafting around my childhood heroes.
"They’re still my heroes, but it’s just going to be a little bit different racing against them. I think that's going to be the craziest thing. [If] Denny Hamlin passes me in the draft or something like that — I’m going to smile a little bit."
Todd Gilliland on the Daytona 500
For Gragson and Gilliland, this year will bring their first significant opportunities at Cup. Hemric won the 2019 Cup rookie title but found himself without a Cup ride for 2020. He ran a part-time Xfinity schedule that year, then went to JGR for the full 2021 season, earning his first career race win in dramatic fashion at Phoenix to capture the title. He looks at the 2022 season as another step in the rebuilding of his career.
Hemric, who is much older than the others, having just turned 31, said he was at a fair with his family when he got the call from Kaulig team president Chris Rice.
"He said, ‘Hey man, do you want to run some Cup races?’" Hemric said. "I said, ‘It's a trick question. Is there any other answers other than: Absolutely?’
"That was not in the cards when I had to make that career decision to move to Kaulig Racing. But I'm thankful I made that decision, thankful for the move and exceptionally thankful to have a chance to mix it up with the best in the world again on certain Sundays."
Gragson indicated that his approach has to be measured — in more ways than one. He said that on the Cup side, he just has to finish races and earn respect.
The 23-year-old also might have to apologize — to Kaulig Racing — for anything that happens on track in the Xfinity Series. Last season, Gragson and Hemric had a fight over the way Gragson backed up on pit road.
Noah Gragson and Daniel Hemric fight on pit road
Gragson also knows his focus will be split between the Xfinity and Cup cars on Saturdays, but he is doing the double duty with the blessing of JR Motorsports and Chevrolet.
"I already told the Kaulig guys that I'd like to apologize for Saturdays in advance, but Sundays, I'm going to be full on-board with them," he said. "I’m going to race the s--- out of them on Saturdays and then be all-in and a teammate on Sunday."
The Kaulig team wouldn’t have it any other way. Rice said he wants drivers who race hard and go fast.
He has that in Hemric and Gragson.
"At the end of the day, we want racers that will give what those guys give," Rice said. "The reason they are in those situations is because they care."
And if there weren't a reason, would it matter? If a driver has an opportunity to run in quality Cup equipment, the driver typically will take that opportunity, especially a young driver looking for a big break.
Gilliland will have to try not to spend too much time trying to figure out the whys.
"You ask yourself ‘How did this happen?’ a lot," Gilliland said. "Just life in general. Now it seems like stuff flies by, and before you know it, I’m 21 years old in the Cup Series. I was hoping to always make it to this level, but you just never know the opportunities you get at certain times.
"It has definitely taken turns either way at a lot of points in my career."
Noah Gragson on driving for JR Motorsports and Kaulig Racing
Looking for more NASCAR content? Sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass!
Thinking out loud
After the frustration of drivers nearly boiled over last summer, the formation of the Drivers Advisory Council is a good step to try to increase driver input — and give the drivers a collective voice.
This group has been promoted as one that will be collaborative, not adversarial. But can that really be the case?
The council might want to collaborate, but there will be times when drivers have different views than tracks and teams. This group shouldn't feel pressured to tone down its message in an effort to be collaborative. As long as the council members are informed — and trust that the info being shared by NASCAR and the teams is accurate — they should be able to take an opposite point of view and be frank without facing consequences.
NASCAR has shown that it will listen; it changed the aerodynamic package for the Next Gen car at least in part so that drivers would feel better about promoting the car.
NASCAR doesn’t want a union. That’s understandable. But if it doesn’t heed at least some of what the drivers say seriously, it will face a major problem.
Social spotlight
Stat of the day
The past 12 Daytona 500s were won by 10 different drivers. Denny Hamlin (with three) is the only repeat winner during that time. The other winners: Jamie McMurray, Trevor Bayne, Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon and Michael McDowell.
They said it
"I have yet to win that race, so that’s kind of the missing, the last check-box on my radar for my career that I have yet to get. That would be nice. And to do it in the Next Gen car would be fantastic." — Kyle Busch on trying to win the Daytona 500
Bob Pockrass has spent decades covering motorsports, including the past 30 Daytona 500s. He joined FOX Sports in 2019 following stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @bobpockrass. Looking for more NASCAR content? Sign up for the FOX Sports NASCAR Newsletter with Bob Pockrass!
Kaulig Racing Front Row Motorsports Beard Motorsports
