Race Recap | FireKeepers Casino 400

No. 31 Poppy Bank Camaro ZL1

• Per the rulebook, Daniel Hemric started the Fire Keepers Casino 400 in 32nd, after qualifying was canceled at Michigan International Speedway, due to inclement weather.
• Despite handling a touch tight in traffic, Hemric made his way into the top 25 and up to 23rd by lap 38, before the first caution of the day came out. Crew chief Trent Owens made the call to pit under caution for four tires and fuel, before restarting 26th with three laps to go in the stage. Hemric finished the opening stage in 25th place.
• Hemric stayed out during the stage break and was set to restart 18th, before the race was red-flagged for weather. When the race resumed on Monday, Hemric elected not to pit and restarted 16th. After falling back to 22nd, Hemric radioed that the No. 31 Poppy Bank Chevy was tighter than when the race started on Sunday. As the green-flag pit stops began, Hemric made it as high as fifth place, before making a scheduled pit stop on lap 94 for four tires and fuel. Once the green-flag stops were complete, Hemric sat 21st, before avoiding three cars with cut tires, which brought out the caution. Hemric pitted under caution from 18th place for tires and fuel and restarted in 21st on lap 115. A wreck on the following lap brought out another caution, and Hemric was forced to the grass to avoid the wreck. The second stage ended under caution, and Hemric finished 24th.
• During the second stage break, Hemric came down pit road twice to clean off the grille and work on the damaged splitter, followed by a third trip to top off with fuel. He restarted 26th on lap 126. After making up six spots on the restart, the next caution came out just 10 laps later. Hemric pitted for four tires and fuel, before restarting 20th on lap 141. As the final green-flag stops began, Hemric made it as high as third place before making his final, green-flag stop for right-side tires and fuel with 19 laps remaining. The race stayed green until six laps to go. Owens made the call to pit for fresh tires and an adjustment to finish out the race, and Hemric restarted 23rd with two laps remaining. The field went just one lap, before another, overtime-inducing wreck brought out the yellow. Hemric narrowly avoided the spinning No. 1 car and sat 18th for the second overtime attempt and went on to finish 23rd.