BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Daniel Hemric doesn't point to the many what-ifs when approaching his NASCAR Cup Series debut Saturday at Richmond Raceway (6:30 p.m. ET, Fox).
Hemric, 27, has attempted to live in the moment throughout his NASCAR career, which now includes a plan for two Cup starts for Richard Childress Racing.
"You work your whole life for an opportunity like this, for somebody to believe in you and give you a shot," Hemric said. "[Saying I'm] fortunate is probably a really smooth way to put it, because at the end of the day, it's incredible the things that happened and that have had to happen."
Hemric's story is one of the many stories of perseverance in the NASCAR garage. He caught the eye of Brad Keselowski when he raced in the 2012 Brad 100 late model race at Auto City (Michigan) Speedway. Hemric won the race and shook Brad's hand in Victory Lane.
Fast-forward to 2016 and Hemric was driving for Keselowski in the Camping World Truck Series thanks in part to a relationship that started with the win that 2012 day.
By that time, Hemric did bring some money, having found some funding he never had along the way. After trying to help Will Gallaher in his development as a driver, the Gallaher family decided to help Hemric achieve his dream; its Blue Gate Bank is one of his sponsors.
"I don't know why I was the lucky guy that got that phone call," Hemric said. "Since that day, whatever the reason, I've been given the shot."
He got that shot from Keselowski and spent two seasons in the trucks with 15 top-5s in 49 starts but no wins. His top finish in the standings was sixth.
"Brad was given that same similar shot with [Dale Earnhardt] Junior," Hemric said. "Knowing that he was able to do the same thing for myself and Tyler Reddick -- the people he already had as sponsors of himself were willing to endorse the people he picked to put in his trucks -- I'm forever grateful and his entire team for giving ourselves a shot, give us the stuff to go be competitive."
Hemric made the move to the Xfinity Series with RCR at the start of last year. He proved himself, making it to the championship round of the playoffs.
"The toughest part is knowing at that [late-model] level, you can tend to make up for more than what you have," Hemric said. "That is cut drastically down by whenever you get to the truck level, Xfinity and Cup -- that becomes more and more important.
"It's hard to make yourself not try to get too much."
Hemric has shown the ability to improve. In his first year in the Keselowski truck, his average finish was 12.2. In the first seven races of his second year, his average finish was 8.6.
In Xfinity, he has improved on an average finish of 13.2 last year to 8.6. this year. Not including a crash at Daytona to open the 2018 season, his average finish has been 5.7.
"He's really progressed like we've worked on and to get him where he his," team owner Richard Childress said. "He is doing a great job, and I think his future is bright."
The plan for this weekend at Richmond and his other scheduled Cup race in September on the Charlotte road course is to learn. He doesn't look at it as two opportunities to prove himself or as two make-or-break opportunities.
"I don't try to think about it that way," Hemric said. "I look at it as two races of opportunity to even do it. It could be the only two I ever get a shot to do.
"My biggest focus is enjoying it and making the most of it from an emotional side, a competition side."
That has been his M.O. for the past 20 years as a racer. He isn't thinking about the future.
"I never let myself think about it," Hemric said. "When I was racing legend cars, the only thing I knew I was racing was legend cars. Same thing when I went to late models. And short-type modifieds. And into the truck series. That is what I focused on. I didn't focus on what was going to happen next."