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October 20, 2002
Ryan Hemphill Is
Making The Most Of This Moment
By Troy Fletcher, TruckSeries.com Staff Writer
He has been given the opportunity of a lifetime. And, Ryan
Hemphill is doing everything he can to seize the moment.
See, just over a month ago, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
owner Bobby Hamilton tabbed the 20-year-old to drive his No.
4 Dodge for the remainder of the NCTS season.
"I tell you what this has been a wonderful experience,"
Hemphill said. "I have been down here (in Mount Juliet,
Tenn.) with the team for a little over a month and things
are really coming together."
Hemphill's right.
In his debut in the No. 4 truck at South Boston (Va.)
Speedway Sept. 21, Hemphill and his team looked like
veterans as he had a strong 10th-place finish.
Then, Sunday, Hemphill proved that result was no fluke as he
led five laps and had a solid 14th-place performance at Las
Vegas Motor Speedway. With a few laps remaining, Hemphill's
No. 4 Bobby Hamilton Dodge suffered ignition box failure,
dropping Hemphill down from 9th.
"The biggest adjustment I have been dealing with is just
establishing team chemistry," Hemphill said. "I am the new
guy and my crew has to get used to me and I have to get used
to them, but I am really happy with the way things are
going. And. I believe once we establish that team chemistry
we can accomplish anything."
Hemphill's success so far is somewhat surprising because he
was by no means a household name in the lower levels of
NASCAR.
"I raced with my family team in Late Models, the RE/MAX
Challenge Series and ASA," said Hemphill, who is from
Apollo, Pa., about a half-hour from Pittsburgh. "We never
ran one series fulltime, we just ran a bunch different
series so I could get a lot of experience at different
tracks and my family just offered me great support."
Actually, Hamilton initially noticed Hemphill in May when
the NCTS paid a visit to Gateway International Raceway for
the Ram Tough 200.
Hemphill was competing in the RE/MAX Challenge Series race
at Gateway the same weekend.
"That is the first time I met Bobby Hamilton's
organization," Hemphill said. "He had his No. 18 truck team
pit my car in the RE/MAX race at Gateway and we won. So, we
got off to a good start. Then, things just gradually
progressed from there until I got behind the wheel at South
Boston."
Although Hemphill is adjusting to the NCTS it hasn't been
easy for him.
"The competition in the Truck Series is fierce, and I was
shocked how hard these guys drive," he said. "There is no
time to relax out there on the track. You have to be going
100 percent all of the time or someone will bump you and
pass you."
These days, Hemphill is focusing on the final three races in
the NCTS season.
"My main goal is keep getting consistent finishes," said
Hemphill, who returns to action in the Truck Series Nov. 2
at California Speedway. "I would love to place in the top 10
in the final three races. I think that would help the team
and I get noticed so we can get a primary sponsor for next
year and then make a run at the rookie of the year in 2003."
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