Hemric poised for Southern Super Series title defense at Rattler 250

KINSTON, AL - After teaming up with Jake and Deanna Carswell's Carswell Motorsports for the inaugural season of the Southern Super Series presented by Sunoco in 2013, Daniel Hemric made every finish count by winning the series title by just one point over Georgia's Bubba Pollard.

Even before starting his run towards a second SSS title on March 16 at the 38th annual Hardee's Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway in Kinston, AL, Hemric has already had an impressive start to the 2014 season. The 23-year-old from Kannapolis, NC recently scored a pair of PASS South Super Late Model events in South Carolina.

Now as the 2014 Southern Super Series season gets ramped up with the Rattler at South Alabama, Hemric hopes to carry the early-season momentum towards a second Southern Super Series championship.

"It's good for the team's mojo," said Hemric of his hot start to 2014. "It really gives everybody something to be excited about, especially coming off wins and good runs. It's getting everybody pumped to start the actual series that we're going to be running in this year. So I'm definitely excited about it, especially coming off the championship last year. Everybody's spirits are high and I'm just looking forward to getting down there and getting the season started."

Kicking off the season at South Alabama Speedway this weekened, Hemric knows the No. 98 team will have to make every lap count and hope to start the season off on the right foot in the 250-lap event.

"We're really going to try to start the same as we did last year by putting together a string of a couple good finishes," said Hemric. "You don't want to say you're going to points race before you ever even get started, but everything matters, especially early on. It really sets the tone for the season. We're going to try to come out of the box as hard and as fast as we can to try to rack up points early in the year and hopefully we'll be there when it matters."

Not only will the Hardee's Rattler 250 be the Southern Super Series' first trip to the Alabama track, but it will be Hemric's first run in a Super Late Model at the 4/10-mile oval as well.

"I ran there with Jeff Fultz about four or five years ago in a Pro Late Model," said Hemric. "But this trip will be my first go at it in a Super. Every year I've had to sit at home on the computer and watch it so I'm excited to be a part of it this year."

After finding success in 2013, Hemric and the Carswell Motorsports team will not make any changes for the 2014 season.

"We're still working with the same team right now," said Hemric. "Everybody is just pulling together to make one big family again and hopefully we will get the same results."

The 38th annual Hardee's Rattler 250 weekend will kick off with a practice day on Friday, March 14 followed by practice and qualifying for both the Pro and Super Late Model divisions as well as the 9th Annual Pro Rattler 125 on Saturday, March 15. The 250-lap Southern Super Series main event will take the green flag at 2:00 pm CT on Sunday, March 16.