Daniel Hemric’s Martinsville win sees him join top-3 list involving Martin Truex Jr. and Michael Waltrip

Daniel Hemric clinched his first NASCAR Truck Series victory at Martinsville Speedway, taking home the iconic grandfather clock and a $50,000 Triple Truck Challenge bonus. Winning his first Truck race more than a decade after his debut, he joined the ranks of Martin Truex Jr. and Michael Waltrip, who also endured a long wait for their first win.

Having made his Truck Series debut at Martinsville in 2013, Hemric recorded the third-longest gap between his first start and first victory, spanning 4,172 days. NASCAR Cup champion Martin Truex Jr. holds the record for the longest timespan, at 5,727 days, having made his first Truck start in 2005 before finally reaching victory lane in his third and final Truck start at Bristol in 2021.

Michael Waltrip, who famously secured his first Cup victory after 463 attempts, also endured a long wait before claiming his first Truck win. He made his first Truck start in 1996 and made a trip to the victory lane in his final start at Daytona in 2011, after 5,220 days. He never competed full-time in the Truck Series, making just nine starts in the third-tier series.

Daniel Hemric's victory marked just his second win across the NASCAR National Series, giving him a second opportunity to perform a backflip on the frontstretch. His other victory came during his 2021 Xfinity Series championship bid when he won the season finale in Phoenix.

Hemric was part of Kaulig Racing for the past three years and was promoted to the Cup Series last year. He finished 29th in the standings with four top-10 results and has now returned to the Truck Series for 2025, joining the number 19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing team.

With his victory at Martinsville, he sits fourth in the standings after five races, 54 points behind leader Corey Heim.

---

Daniel Hemric admits to practicing backflips before the Martinsville weekend

NASCAR Truck Series (Source: Getty)

Daniel Hemric revealed that he had been practicing backflips in his backyard and got the opportunity to land one after his victory at Martinsville. The 34-year-old was doubtful if his backflipping skills had gone rusty, but he executed one perfectly in front of the crowd at the Paperclip oval.

"It’s a funny thing because my wife asked me a couple weeks ago if I was not too old to do it. I practiced once last week in the backyard and did a back flip on solid ground. I thought, ‘The old man’s still got it,’ and I proved that tonight," he said post-race via NASCAR.com.

Hemric wasn’t initially in contention for the victory at Martinsville, as Corey Heim dominated the event, sweeping both stages and leading 149 of the 200 laps. However, an incident with Kaden Honeycutt on Lap 166 sent Heim to the back of the field. Honeycutt and Ty Majeski were also involved in a late-race incident.

With four laps to go, Hemric snatched the lead from his teammate Tyler Ankrum, securing his first-ever Truck Series victory. The #19 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing driver will be back in action at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 11.