It’s one thing to be a race car driver — hitting the track consistently, chasing the adrenaline rush, and competing at high speed. But setting that career aside to support a spouse’s journey requires a different kind of strength altogether — and that’s exactly what Daniel Hemric’s wife, Kenzie Hemric, chose to do.
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Kenzie met Daniel Hemric when she was just 17. They got engaged in 2015 and tied the knot in 2017. Today, they are parents to a daughter and a son.
While she now lives the racing life through Daniel, Kenzie once pursued her own path behind the wheel. She competed in ARCA, the K&N Pro Series East, and Late Model Stock Car racing with a great passion for the sport.
During a conversation with Haley Dillon on her podcast, Dillon shared how much her husband, Ty Dillon, admires Kenzie’s racing journey. Kenzie then reflected on how it all began — her father was into dirt bikes and off-road riding, and she grew up riding four-wheelers. Though she wanted to follow in his footsteps, he drew the line at dirt bikes, and out of respect, she didn’t press the issue.
Her father, a casual NASCAR fan, would often head to Texas Motor Speedway with friends. While Kenzie was living in Texas with her mother, her father invited her to test a Bandolero car. What started as a casual outing soon turned into a weekend tradition. Racing became a bridge between her and her divorced parents, offering family time at the racetrack.
Kenzie Hemric caught the racing bug early and moved to North Carolina at 17 to chase her dream. Although she competed in several series, she never made it to the NASCAR Truck or Xfinity level.
Reflecting on her journey, she said, “That was always a goal [to get into NASCAR truck or Xfinity Series], I always say it was a timing thing. I feel like I was up and coming when Danica [Patrick] was still racing. So, I feel like NASCAR kind of had their female, and it was just kind of a timing thing that it didn’t really work out for me. And that’s fine.”
Between 2013 and 2015, Kenzie made 44 starts in the K&N Series, earning a career-best finish of second at Iowa Speedway on August 1, 2014. According to Daniel Hemric, there was never a formal conversation about navigating their careers as a racing couple — by the time his path picked up steam in the Truck Series, her opportunities had started to fade.
After they tied the knot, Kenzie stepped away from racing to support Daniel as he pursued a full-time ride with Richard Childress Racing in the Xfinity Series.
Over the years, she has been both his loudest supporter and most honest critic — quick to praise his best drives, yet never hesitating to call out mistakes when needed. Daniel has time and again mentioned that he has deep respect for Kenzie for everything Kenzie did for him.
