McAnally-Hilgemann Racing (MHR) has re-signed both Daniel Hemric and Christian Eckes for the 2027 NASCAR FedEx Freight Truck Series campaign, the team officially announced on Tuesday. Hemric will continue to pilot the team’s flagship No. 19 Chevrolet Silverado RST, while Eckes retains his seat in the No. 91 Chevrolet Silverado RST.
Both drivers have been long-term staples of the successful NASCAR Truck Series program, with next season marking the third straight year that Hemric will drive the No. 19 at MHR, and the fourth year (in two stints) that Eckes will drive for the organization full-time.
NAPA Auto Care will return to the team for a 37th season in 2027, along with various NAPA suppliers. The organization will also be rejoined by Columbia Bank and Motion Industries with increased invovlement.
Hemric, a native of Kannapolis, North Carolina, is a decade-long veteran of NASCAR’s National Series, spending many years competing at the highest levels of the sport in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. The 35-year-old driver won the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2022.
In Friday’s season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Hemric will become the 58th driver to make 100 starts in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. Since his return to the division on a full-time basis in 2025, Hemric has amassed a single victory (at Martinsville in Spring 2025), 13 top-fives, and 26 top-10s. With one race left in 2026, Hemric sits sixth in points.
“Our No. 19 team and the company certainly got stronger as the year progressed”, Hemric said. “All our partners, NAPA, Motion, and Columbia Bank have given us a great chance to build together in 2027. There is plenty of hunger internally to build the right culture and prepare the right way for a strong start next year.”
Eckes, a native of Middletown, New York, returned to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series this season with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing after his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series opportunity shuttered at the end of last season. This season, driving the No. 91 with Dave Elenz calling the shots, Eckes has recorded nine top-fives and 15 top-10s, and sits fifth in points.
“It’s nice to have 2027 planned out already”, Eckes said. “We want to accomplish much more in ’27 than we did this year and feel strong about the plan we have in place to do it. The speed we’ve generated in the second half of this season has given us a lot of confidence to start next year strong and make the most of the opportunity with NAPA, Columbia Bank, and Motion.”
In his last stint with MHR, though, the 25-year-old driver collected eight victories, 25 top-five, and 35 top-10 finishes, finishing fifth and third in championship standings in 2023 and 2024.
McAnally-Hilgemann Racing will make announcements regarding the remainder of its 2027 NASCAR FedEx Freight Truck Series driver lineup at a later date. Tyler Ankrum, however, will not be returning to the team next year, as he confirmed to JosephSrigley.com at Charlotte in October.
