Hendrick Motorsports News
Updated: 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Hendrick Motorsports concerned about axle problems: There is some concern at Hendrick Motorsports that the broken axle that left Dale Earnhardt Jr. with a 32nd-place finish on Sunday at Auto Club Speedway could be a more widespread problem. Earnhardt's crew chief, Lance McGrew, said the axle of race winner Jimmie Johnson was about six laps from breaking and that issues were discovered on other HMS cars during Saturday's final practice. "Oh, absolutely," McGrew told ESPN.com on Tuesday. "I'm sweating this weekend along with Atlanta, which is historically really bad on axles. To say there's not a stir about it would be an understatement." McGrew said so far no explanation has been found for the extreme wear. He said the problem first surfaced during Saturday's final practice when the left rear axle on Mark Martin's car, which shares a shop with the Earnhardts, looked "really bad." He said all four HMS teams replaced the axles before the race. "Ours wore out and [Johnson] barely finished the race," McGrew said. "There's no smoking gun, which is aggravating for us. But we'll get to the bottom of it."(ESPN.com)
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Rick Hendrick getting street named after him near Hall of Fame: Visitors to the new NASCAR Hall of Fame might soon be able to take a stroll along Rick Hendrick Way. The city of Charlotte is considering a request to rename part of Brevard Street near the NASCAR Hall of Fame in uptown after Charlotte businessman Rick Hendrick. Among his many ventures, Hendrick is team owner of Hendrick Motorsports. No firm decisions have been made, but officials are considering putting Hendrick’s name on at least the one block of Brevard between Stonewall and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Mayor Anthony Foxx said tonight. Foxx told council members the change could be a way to help honor Hendrick’s work in the community, including his philanthropic efforts. (Charlotte Observer)
Friday, January 22, 2010
Hendrick loans plane out to help Haitian orphans: Rick Hendrick didn't have a moment of hesitation when it came to finding a way to aid the Haitian earthquake relief efforts. Hendrick last week loaned one 45-passenger plane and an eight-person crew to an organization that is making mission flights into Haiti, but because of the desperate need in Haiti, the team has since made available a second Hendrick Motorsports airplane. In all, 10 members of the Hendrick aviation team are volunteering with Missionary Flights International to take both planes in and out of Port-au-Prince on daily flights. They are able to track the trips online, and Hendrick general manager Marshall Carlson on Monday noticed that one of the planes had not left Haiti as scheduled. Carlson said he tried to reach HMS aviation director Dave Dudley in Haiti, and received a text back: "Leaving Haiti with 26 orphans should be departing in 30 minutes," Dudley wrote. (AP)
Monday, December 7, 2009
Dale Jr: Hendrick Motorsports has made changes in engineering department: While Dale Earnhardt Jr. was here, he let everyone know that his Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 team had made some personnel changes, specifically in the engineering department. He tried to downplay them as much as possible, saying that he didn't want them to get blown out of proportion - as is the case so often even when Earnhardt Jr. sneezes. If I were a Vegas oddsmaker, I'd say Earnhardt Jr. is a decided underdog to make the Chase For The Sprint Cup in 2010. He simply didn't show enough at the end of the season - besides increased optimism - that next year could be a big rebound.(SceneDaily)
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Rick Hendrick honored with Bill France Award of Excellence: Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports was honored with the Bill France Award of Excellence at the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony. The award was presented to Hendrivk by Betty Jane France, wife of the late Bill France Jr., who guided the sport from 1971-2003. "I wasn't expecting this one," Hendrick said during his acceptance speech at the Wynn Las Vegas. "This award means so much to me because of the relationship I had with Bill France and the respect I had for him." The award is not handed out annually by the France family, which has owned and operated NASCAR for 61 years. Named for NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., the award is presented when the NASCAR leadership believes someone is worthy of the recognition for contributions to the sport. "NASCAR has had many iconic figures throughout its rich history, and Rick Hendrick certainly falls into that category," Betty Jane France said. "Through the years, he has not only won our respect but our hearts as well." Hendrick did not know that Betty Jane France was at the banquet and the award was not listed in the agenda for the evening that celebrated Jimmie Johnson's fourth consecutive title in a season where Hendrick drivers swept the top three spots in the standings. "I've never seen him where he's in a position where he couldn't say what was on his mind," Johnson said after the ceremony. "It really got him. & For a minute there, I thought he was going to need to sit down and start over and come back to the podium. It's amazing. It means so much to Rick because of his friendship with Bill. I could only imagine how much that means to him. And then this year, you look at the 1-2-3 and all the success. You roll it all up in one, he's going to remember 2009 forever."(SceneDaily.com)
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Update on Hendrick's niece: As much as Rick Hendrick wanted to be a part of Jimmie Johnson's record-breaking run on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, his family's needs were more important. Instead of watching Johnson win his fourth straight Sprint Cup title, Hendrick was at hospital in North Carolina as his 29-year-old niece, Alesha Gainey, underwent a liver transplant. Gainey is the daughter of Hendrick's brother, John, who, along with two other daughters, was killed in a 2004 Hendrick Motorsports plane crash on the way to Martinsville Speedway. Hendrick said the surgery went well and Gainey, although not completely out of the woods, is in stable condition and recovering in intensive care.(ESPN)
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Rick Hendrick to miss Homestead: A family emergency will keep team owner Rick Hendrick from celebrating a record-tying ninth Sprint Cup championship for Hendrick Motorsports on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Hendrick's 29-year-old niece Alesha Gainey, the daughter of John Hendrick who was killed in the 2004 plane crash near Martinsville Speedway, is undergoing an emergency liver transplant in North Carolina. "Rick obviously wishes he could be here . . . [but] Rick's priority at this point is to support his family at this crucial time," Hendrick Motorsports general managers Marshall Carlson said.(ESPN.com)
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Chad Knaus named Crew Chief of the Year: For the second consecutive season, Chad Knaus, crew chief for Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Lowe's Chevy, was named the coveted 2009 Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year. The announcement was made Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway prior to the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season finale. After capturing his fifth Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race in 2009 during last weekend's race at Phoenix, Knaus moved out of a tie with Darian Grubb, crew chief for the No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevy and driver Tony Stewart. Grubb finished the season with four Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race awards. Presenting the 2009 Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year trophy to Knaus was Wypall Wipers Category Manager Tom Merrill and Jeff Hammond, who also serves as a spokesperson for Wypall Wipers. In addition to the limited edition trophy, Knaus received a check for $20,000.00. The 2009 Wypall Wipers Crew Chief Challenge has been a season-long contest that has strived each week to determine the best crew chiefs in the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage.(Wypall PR)
Monday, November 16, 2009
Hendrick Motorsports denies Patrick deal: Rick Hendrick said Sunday he has no deal to bring IndyCar superstar Danica Patrick to NASCAR, and there's no certainty she'll even be driving stock cars next season. "I just think that they are not even close to making a decision on whether to even do it this year or next year," Hendrick said of Patrick and her representatives at IMG. "You never know until it's done. You never know until it's signed. And anybody can change their mind. When you get down to the nitty gritty of any deal, it's always complicated. There can always be someone who comes back and says `I can't do it because of this.' So until it's done, it's not done. And that's the honest truth." Patrick is reportedly in the final stages of a contract that would partner her on a limited Nationwide Series schedule with JR Motorsports, the team owned by both Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. But speaking before Sunday's race at Phoenix International Raceway, Hendrick called the reports "premature" and insisted nothing is imminent. "I think everything is an option, and it's just too early to really comment on it," he said. "I can't give you anything concrete, because there isn't anything concrete right now. Nothing is imminent until it's signed. Too many things can happen." Hendrick, who just returned from a weeklong vacation in Israel, said there have been no new developments in talks with Patrick and that IndyCar remains her first priority. Existing contracts she has in that series could also complicate a potential venture into NASCAR. Patrick has said very little about her 2010 plans, including an apparent contract extension to stay with Andretti Green Racing. Part of that holdup is a pending change of team ownership, which is expected to be transferred solely to Michael Andretti.(Associated Press)
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Rick Hendrick says teams' NASCAR success is "humbling": People power is more important than horsepower. Rick Hendrick believes that. The 60-year-old multi-millionaire business executive's Chevrolet team has become the NASCAR Sprint Cup series' gold standard. Hendrick is virtually assured of a ninth Cup championship - and possibly an historic fourth in a row with Jimmie Johnson. Most of Hendrick's 6,000 employees - over 500 on his race teams - swear there's no better boss. When Kyle Busch was released to Joe Gibbs Racing two years ago, crew chief Alan Gustafson dismissed reports he might follow. "I'd rather sweep floors for Rick Hendrick than be a crew chief for someone else," he said. Hendrick, who answered questions from The Republic by e-mail because he was traveling internationally, calls that "humbling." "I take so much pride in watching these guys like Alan and Steve (Letarte, Gordon's crew chief), who have come up through the organization, from literally sweeping floors in the shop to being crew chiefs. I think it goes back to putting the right people in place and then providing them with opportunities to be successful and show what they're capable of doing . . . I can't tell you how gratifying that is." (Arizona Republic)
Wednesday, Novermber 4, 2009
Report: Danica Patrick to sign with JR Motorsports: Danica Patrick is nearing completion of a two-year contract with JR Motorsports, the NASCAR Nationwide Series operation owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., and a source close to the negotiations described them as "in the final phase." The partnership is expected to make its on-track debut during next February's Daytona Speedweeks. Both the Patrick and Earnhardt camps declined comment. Patrick will compete in NASCAR's second-largest series for JR Motorsports while continuing to race full-time for Andretti Green Racing in IndyCar. Earnhardt and Patrick already have a corporate connection, in current sponsorship deals with GoDaddy.com. The Web site registration service is a sponsor on JR Motorsports' No. 88 Chevy, which has been earned four Nationwide Series wins this season with Brad Keselowski at the wheel. Keselowski is leaving the team at season's end to drive for Penske Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. GoDaddy.co, also recently signed on to sponsor Hendrick's No. 5 Chevy beginning in 2010. That car is currently driven by Mark Martin, who is signed through 2011.(ESPN.com)
Delphi and Hendrick extend partnership: Delphi announced that it will continue its associate sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports during the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. The announcement was made at a press conference held at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas. Delphi will be the primary sponsor for two Sprint Cup races with driver Mark Martin in the No. 5 Delphi/GoDaddy.com Chevy. The race details will be announced in the near future. Additionally, Delphi will be an associate sponsor of all Hendrick Motorsports 2010 Sprint Cup entries. Delphi will continue to be featured on the uniforms of all Hendrick Motorsports drivers for the 2010 season, including four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon, three-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin. "Our long-standing relationship with Delphi has been fantastic," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "The association has been incredibly important to our company from both a quality and technology standpoint, and we look forward to having Delphi continue as a key partner for the 2010 season."(HMS PR)
Friday, October 30, 2009
No. 88 crew chief Lance McGrew to return in 2010: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick has named Lance McGrew the full-time crew chief of the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevys driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Sprint Cup Series. The 41-year-old McGrew assumed the role May 28 on an interim basis. "I have total faith in Lance and what he's capable of accomplishing with Dale Jr.," Hendrick said. "There was a lot of pressure with how he came into this deal, and the way he's handled it has been extremely impressive. Lance is confident in himself and in his decisions, and all the outside distractions aren't going to faze him. He's a strong-willed guy who will keep his eye on the ball and not settle." McGrew will complete the final four races of the 2009 schedule, beginning with this weekend's AMP Energy 500 at Talladega, Ala., and return in 2010, which will mark the 11th full-time Sprint Cup season for Earnhardt.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Hendrick keeping McGrew as Crew Chief for No. 88? Rick Hendrick is committed to Lance McGrew remaining Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief for the rest of the Sprint Cup season and appears to be leaning toward keeping them together in 2010. "My philosophy has always been if you can fix something rather than start all over then I'd whole lot rather fix it," the owner of Hendrick Motorsports said before Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "When I see the car as the best car out there in my group for two or three of the races and then just have crappy luck, it's almost like, 'Hey, let's focus on the little things that can make it better.' " Hendrick's comments came 24 hours after Earnhardt expressed frustration with how his season has gone since switching from long-time crew chief Tony Eury Jr. to McGrew in June. (More at ESPN.com)
Monday, October 5, 2009
Tom Cruise narrates Hendrick Motorsports documentary: TOGETHER: The Hendrick Motorsports Story, NASCAR Media Group's documentary-style film chronicling the history of the eight-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship team, will air Sunday, Oct. 11, at 1:30pm/et on ABC, prior to the network's live Pepsi 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race coverage from Fontana, Calif. Narrated by three-time Academy Award nominee Tom Cruise and presented by Pepsi, TOGETHER employs exclusive interviews, never-before-seen archival footage, thrilling racing sequences and rare family photography to detail the personal relationships and emotional events that have shaped one of NASCAR's most decorated organizations. Cruise, an auto racing enthusiast, starred in the 1990 NASCAR-themed motion picture Days of Thunder. The script was co-written by Shawn Truax and Ray Didinger and directed by Rory Karpf.(PR)
Monday, Sept. 7, 2009
Tony Eury Jr to stay with Hendrick Motorsports: Tony Eury Jr. said Saturday he plans to remain under the Hendrick Motorsports banner. Eury, who is currently in the second season of a five-year contract with HMS, certainly has plenty of options even staying in the role he had Saturday night assisting with the No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series. JRM will field two cars in the NNS the Nos. 88 and 5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Saturday that Kelly Bires is verbally committed to replace Brad Keselowski, while a variety of drivers (including Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman and Michael McDowell) will pilot the No. 5. When asked if Eury had visited Richard Childress Racing recently to discuss a potential job, he just laughed. "Who said I wasn't up there just to tour the museum?" Eury replied. Eury has spent the last three months since he resigned from his role as crew chief of the No. 88 Cup car completing a long awaited "honey-do" list. Professionally, he's been working on the development of the new car for the Nationwide Series. He still enjoys the occasional taste of being a crew chief with the No. 25 Cup car, but adding a full-time deal would preclude him for doing many things that he loves. And what about Eury joining Keselowski at Penske Racing next year, a possibility reported Saturday by The Charlotte Oberserver? "I'm happy at Hendrick Motorsports," Eury said. "We wish Brad well. We hope he finishes fifth behind the four Hendrick cars."(FOXSports.com)
Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009
Keselowski says announcement is coming soon: Brad Keselowski remained noncommittal this weekend at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on his future in NASCAR, though he did say an announcement on his plans will come "shortly." Keselowski, a full-time Nationwide Series driver for JR Motorsports and a part-time Sprint Cup driver for Hendrick Motorsports and Phoenix Racing, is rumored to be joining Penske Racing in 2010 - perhaps running both series full time for the team. Keselowski has said he wanted to drive full time in both series, and those plans remain in place. "I'm confident that I will run full time in both series next season," he said. If he joins Penske, he could be a teammate to Justin Allgaier in the Nationwide Series. Allgaier said Saturday he told Penske officials he didn't want to know about the team's plans until they were official.(SceneDaily.com)
Friday, Aug. 7, 2009
Keselowski only option for 2010 is the No. 09? Brad Keselowski may only have one option if he wants to drive full-time in a Hendrick Motorsports-supported Sprint Cup car in 2010: Phoenix Racing. Tony Stewart told reporters on Wednesday in Texas that it was doubtful Stewart-Haas Racing will expand to three teams next season. Plus, sources said Stewart had no interest in Keselowski, anyway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently said it was doubtful his Nationwide Series team supported by HMS would expand to Cup. Red Bull general manager Jay Frye, on the chance that his organization moves to General Motors with Hendrick support, said he is not looking at expansion. That leaves Phoenix Racing, which is running 10 races with Keselowski in cars with HMS motors and chassis this season [and the rest of the season in Dodges]. They already teamed for a win at Talladega Superspeedway earlier this year. Keselowski says he has about six options, but most of those are now outside of HMS. One appears to be moving to Penske Racing, but that would throw a wrinkle in his plans to stay in Earnhardt's Nationwide program that runs Chevrolets. Penske runs Dodges and it's not likely the driver will be allowed to compete for two manufacturers.(ESPN Insider)
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Edwards: Hendrick Motorsports has closed the gap: Hendrick Motorsports is batting .400, having won eight of the 20 Sprint Cup races this season. That already matches the organization's number of wins in 2008 and has rival teams scrambling to close the gap before the Chase begins. "There are no big gaps anymore," said Carl Edwards, who won a series-most nine races last year but is still looking for his first 2009 win for Roush-Fenway Racing. "But whatever gap (Hendrick) has is just enough to be pretty strong." Though Tony Stewart, of his newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing, leads the standings heading into Sunday's Pennsylvania 500, Hendrick drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon are running second and third. (KC Star)
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Despite success Hendrick is not resting easy: Rick Hendrick has a bad feeling. Actually, it's just not as good a feeling as he often has. And this was after his driver, Jimmie Johnson, won Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the third time in four years, beating another Hendrick driver, Mark Martin, and third-place finisher, Tony Stewart, who drives equipment provided by Hendrick Motorsports. "I never get comfortable," Hendrick says. That's why Hendrick Motorsports is NASCAR's premier organization. Look around, though, and no one is close to Hendrick Motorsports, not counting Stewart-Haas Racing, which gets chassis, engines and technical support from the same group working on the cars of Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Johnson and Martin. (Carroll County Times)
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Keselowski happy to forfeit ROTY to get more seat time: It looks like Brad Keselowski won't run for Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year honors in 2010. The hot, young driving prospect has started seven Cup races in 2009, which is the maximum allowed by NASCAR in order to retain a rookie standing. Keselowski, who won the Cup race at Talladega, will lose the chance to run for rookie honors with one more Cup start. After his seventh start at Chicagoland on Saturday night, Keselowski said, "I just want to continue to gain experience and have fun at the same time." Back in May, the 25-year-old driver said he would give up a chance for the rookie title if he continued to get quality seat time. (Daytona News-Journal)
Dale Jr is happy to be a racecar driver: Dale Earnhardt Jr. asked if he has ever questioned his decision to be a racecar driver: "Never a moment, never happens�That's what being a racecar driver so cool is you know what you want to do, you know where you want to be, you know where you have to be and it's easier. I had to work at a real job and I know what that's like. Being a racecar driver is where it's at�The business part of it is not a real pain. It's not what I got into the sport for. Parts of it is pretty interesting, parts of it aren't, parts of it are boring. I don't like meetings any more than the next guy. The driving part is what you get into it for. There's other things that come along with it, good and bad. You just take it." (WDNE)
Monday, July 13, 2009
Keselowksi to Red Bull Racing? Brad Keselowski wasn't kidding when he said he had "options" for next season. In addition to being close to re-signing a deal with JR Motorsports to run in the Nationwide Series, the latest buzz has Special K paired with Red Bull Racing. If Keselowski indeed stays with JRM, the only scenario that would work on the Cup side would be with a Chevy team. Maybe Red Bull is closer to inking a Chevy deal. Rick Hendrick said on Saturday that HMS has the resources to include Red Bull in its engine program.(FOXSports.com)
Friday, July 10, 2009
Eury Jr to crew chief for Keselowski this weekend: This weekend will mark the first time that Brad Keselowski will work with crew chief Tony Eury Jr. Prior to this weekend, Keselowski worked with Lance McGrew, and the pair scored a team-high finish of seventh at Darlington Raceway. In the Nationwide Series, Keselowski works with Eury's father, crew chief Tony Eury Sr.(Hendrick PR)
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Danica Patrick to Hendrick Motorsports... With Dale JR to JR Motorsports? If Danica Patrick does jump from the Indy Racing League to NASCAR, as increasingly appears likely, the battle for her, according to sources close to the negotiations, is down to car owners Rick Hendrick, of Chevrolet, and Jack Roush, of Ford. According to these sources, Hendrick and General Motors' Chevrolet division are now suddenly the heavy favorites to sign Patrick. And the key would apparently be Hendrick's willingness to put her in a Sprint Cup ride for the full 2010 season. Roush has said he would like to see her run some NASCAR Nationwide and/or Truck events, along with six or seven Cup events, to get her accustomed to stock car racing. Hendrick reportedly is willing to go further. Patrick might take Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s spot on Hendrick's official four-team Cup roster, with Earnhardt moving to an expanded JR Motorsports operation. JR Motorsports, Earnhardt's own operation, run in partnership with Hendrick, would thus be stepping up to a full Cup program; Hendrick has already been talking with Talladega winner Brad Keselowski about Keselowski's future in NASCAR, with indications he could get a Cup ride with an expanded JR Motorsports venture, with Hendrick engines and Hendrick engineering. It is not clear how far along any Patrick-IMG-Hendrick negotiations have gone, but sources tell mikemulhern.net that the Patrick-Hendrick deal is very close to being a 'done deal.'(Mikemulhern.net)
Monday, June 22, 2009
Jr Motorsports to move to Cup series; Red Bull Racing to Chevrolet? Car owner Rick Hendrick said before the race that such a move is being examined by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelley. Hendrick mentioned that as he discussed possible teams be working with next year through engine programs, chassis programs or technical support. One report has stated that Red Bull could leave Toyota and join Chevrolet and be aligned with Hendrick like Stewart-Haas Racing is. Hendrick also said his organization could handle it if Stewart-Haas expanded to three teams as Tony Stewart said could happen this year.(The Virginian-Pilot)
Monday, June 1, 2009
Hendrick releases statement concerning GM bankruptcy: Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group, today responded to the announcement by General Motors that it will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection: "The products General Motors offers are the highest quality and most fuel efficient in its history, and I have an unwavering faith in the company's leadership team and our government's commitment to support this reorganization. After all of the efforts of the past several months, it's unfortunate that bankruptcy has become the only option, but we at Hendrick Automotive Group and Hendrick Motorsports are certain that GM will emerge from this stronger and better equipped to compete than ever before. Hendrick Automotive Group can say with confidence that the customers of our 27 General Motors franchises can expect the same high level of care and service that our dealerships have always provided, and that the full range of warranties and parts will be available. From a racing perspective, our heritage is with General Motors. In 25 years together, Hendrick Motorsports has won eight Sprint Cup Series titles with Chevrolet, which has more NASCAR championships and wins than any other auto manufacturer. Since I was a kid, Chevy has represented the highest level of performance. I've never wanted to race anything else, and I have every confidence that we will continue to celebrate victories together for many more seasons to come. Speaking for the more than 6,000 teammates at Hendrick Automotive Group and Hendrick Motorsports, it has been a great privilege to be a small part of GM's rich history, and we are looking forward to an even brighter future together."(HMS PR)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Official announcement - Eury Jr released of No. 88 crew chief duties: Hendrick Motorsports today named Lance McGrew as interim crew chief of the No. 88 Sprint Cup Series team of driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. beginning with the June 7 event at Pocono Raceway. Team manager Brian Whitesell will lead the team this weekend at Dover. "Our performance hasn't been where it should be," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "It's impossible to pin that on any one factor, but a change is the right decision at this point. We have a plan in place, and we're going to move forward with it." Whitesell and Rex Stump, Hendrick Motorsports' lead chassis engineer, have been assigned to support McGrew on a full-time basis. Whitesell, who won two of seven races as Jeff Gordon's interim crew chief in 1999, will join McGrew and team engineer Tom Stewart on the No. 88 pit box to assist with race strategy. "We're going to put our full resources toward improving the situation and winning races," Hendrick said. "It's going to be a collective effort that includes all of our drivers, all of our crew chiefs and all of our engineers. Everyone in our company will be involved on some level." Tony Eury Jr. will move from the crew chief position into a key role with Hendrick Motorsports' research and development group. Eury posted one victory, one pole position, 19 top-10 finishes and 11 top-fives in 48 races with the No. 88 team. "I have mixed feelings, and that's just natural," Eury said. "But I enjoy working at Hendrick Motorsports, and this is where I want to be. I'll do whatever I can to help all of our teams and try to be a part of another championship. I think a new challenge will be good." McGrew, 41, earned the 2003 Nationwide Series championship with driver Brian Vickers. He won the October 2006 Sprint Cup race with Vickers at Talladega, and most recently led Cup rookie Brad Keselowski to a seventh-place finish May 9 at Darlington. As a crew chief, McGrew has posted victories in all three of NASCAR's major touring series: Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck. He has won races with drivers Vickers, Jeff Gordon, Ricky Hendrick, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin and most recently Tony Stewart Feb. 14 at Daytona Beach.(HMS PR )
Monday, May 18, 2009
Rick Hendrick to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show: Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group, will make an appearance on the Tuesday, May 19 edition of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." The episode is entitled "Heroes in Hard Times." "The Oprah Winfrey Show" is produced in Chicago by Harpo Productions Inc. and syndicated to 214 domestic stations by CBS Television Distribution Group and to 143 countries by CBS Paramount International Television. It has been the No. 1-rated talk show for 22 consecutive seasons. Visit www.oprah.com for local listings.(HMS PR )
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Hendrick Motorsports pilots cleared in crash: Hendrick Motorsports pilots Richard Tracy and Elizabeth Morrison were not willfully and recklessly negligent in the October 2004 crash near Martinsville, Va., that killed 10 people, a federal jury has decided in U.S. District Court in Winston-Salem, N.C. The decision, filed May 5 and entered into the court docket Thursday, ended the first phase of the trials surrounding the crash, which killed four members of the Hendrick family, two Hendrick employees, two others and both pilots. The verdict, which followed a 10-day trial, ended the first of two trials associated with the crash. The second phase will be a bench trial, which will begin July 7. The jury trial centered around a claim from widow Dianne Dorton, wife of HMS engine builder Randy Dorton, on whether the pilots’ estates could be held liable for the actions of the pilots. The jury decided that the actions of the pilots did not meet the negligence requirements for their estates to be held liable. The bench trial will cover five cases involving widows Dorton; Linda Turner, wife of HMS general manager Jeff Turner; and Tracy Lathram, wife of Tony Stewart pilot Scott Lathram, a passenger on the plane; HMS Holdings, parent company of Hendrick Motorsports; and the United States.(SceneDaily)
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Hendrick returns after illness: Rick Hendrick was stricken with a sinus infection that spread to both his chest and ears, keeping him away from the track another three races. He needed tubes inserted in both ears to fight the infection. "They say the tubes are for kids, so I guess I'm a 59-year-old kid with ear infections," he said Tuesday. "I've got a weak immune system, and this infection just jumped on me. I was a sick puppy there for about three weeks. But I am much better, feeling more like myself." Hendrick's immune system was weakened by a long, but successful, fight with leukemia 12 years ago. "If I am not careful, I get knocked on my butt," said Hendrick, who spent more than four hours with employees Tuesday passing out the championship rings from Johnson's third title. (AP/ESPN.com)
Monday, May 11, 2009
Brad Keselowski a little disappointed with not being in No. 5: When asked if he was disappointed he lost out on a chance to drive the No. 5 Chevrolet at Hendrick Motorsports next season, Brad Keselowski waited a few moments to answer. “That’s a tough question. Every driver feels they are ready and capable of doing it, and I’m no exception,” Keselowski said after finishing seventh in Saturday night’s Southern 500. “That’s a premier ride. “I’m disappointed with any ride I don’t get at this point. I sure would like to drive that car.” (ThatsRacin.com)
Friday, May 1, 2009
Keselowski evaluating next year's options: Brad Keselowski wants to race full-time next season in the Sprint Cup Series, he's just not sure where he'll find the seat. His first choice, he said Friday, is Hendrick Motorsports. NASCAR's newest Cup winner is exclusively negotiating with Hendrick on a long-term contract. He currently races full-time in the Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports, and has a developmental deal with Hendrick that runs through the end of the year. "The key part of it is to stick with what got you where you're at," Keselowski said at Richmond International Raceway. "Having competitive cars and support from Hendrick Motorsports is what got me to Victory Lane at Talladega."It's hard to run from that, but at the same time there isn't a clear opportunity. So we have to see how that works out." (AP)
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Report: Hendrick denies any Crew Chief swap: Will rumors of a Hendrick Motorsports separation of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Eury Jr. ever end? Ever? Ever? Never, as long as there are upstart, cottage-industry Web-sites churning this stuff out, and others linking to it. "There's absolutely nothing to this," came an e-mail reply from high-up inside Hendrick, when the latest one was checked. The wackiness warranted a double-check high-up at Hendrick, which brought the firm reply, "Not a shred of truth to any of it."(ESPN Insider)
Rick Hendrick considered swapping Eury and Gustafson? Sources within Hendrick Motorsports confirmed to Captain Thunder that discussions were held over the Easter break regarding the possible switching of crew chiefs between the #5 and #88 teams. Mark Martin's crew chief Alan Gustafson was said to be on the block and was willing to move to the #88 team and Martin was willing to support the move. The discussions over Easter ended with an agreement between the two teams and Mr. Hendrick to keep their current teams in tact for at least three more weeks to see if both teams could improve on the slow start they have endured through the first part of the 2009 Sprint Cup season. Sources said Eury Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin, and Gustafson all agreed that if Mr. Hendrick wanted a change, they would be willing to swap Gustafson for Eury Jr. However, with Martin's win Saturday night in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix, any switch is now out of the question for the foreseeable future. (CaptainThunderRacing.com)
Hendrick plane crash trial began Tuesday: A trial to determine who was responsible for the Hendrick Motorsports plane crash that killed 10 people Oct. 24, 2004, on the way to a NASCAR Cup race at Martinsville Speedway is scheduled to begin Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Winston-Salem, N.C. At issue is who is responsible for the accident – HMS Holdings (parent company of Hendrick Motorsports), the pilots themselves or the government, which is responsible for the air-traffic controllers.The trial covers five cases involving widows Dianne Dorton (wife of HMS engine builder Randy Dorton), Linda Turner (wife of HMS general manager Jeff Turner), and Tracy Lathram (wife of Tony Stewart pilot Scott Lathram, a passenger on the plane); HMS Holdings; the pilots’ estates; and the United States. According to court documents, the crash resulted when the pilots overshot the airport by five miles and failed to follow the missed-approach procedure for the Martinsville/Blue Ridge Airport, which requires a climbing right turn to avoid Bull Mountain. The plane, in heavy cloud cover, climbed without turning and crashed into the mountain, killing all 10 aboard. According to court documents, the government blames Hendrick pilots Richard Tracy and Elizabeth Morrison for failing to follow procedure. Hendrick and the widows believe the government shares some of the responsibility for the actions of the air-traffic controllers. (SceneDaily.com)
No. 5's Alan Gustafson Named Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race
Friday, April 3, 2009
Brad Keselowski in No. 25 at Texas: Brad Keselowski will attempt to qualify the No. 25 GoDaddy.com Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports on Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. This is Keselowski's fifth attempt at making a Sprint Cup Series event and his fourth for Hendrick Motorsports. Keselowski has qualified three times driving the No. 25 Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports and most recently drove the #25 Chevy to a 38th-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 1. After this weekend at Texas, Keselowski will attempt to make the field in five more Sprint Cup races this season for Hendrick Motorsports. Keselowski will try to line up the No. 25 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet at Darlington on May 9, Dover on May 31, Chicago on July 11, Michigan on Aug. 16, and Kansas on Oct. 4. Crew chief Lance McGrew has chosen Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 25-537 for this weekend's event at Texas Motor Speedway. The car, which will be pitted by Keselowski's No. 88 Nationwide Series crew, has not been raced or tested, although McGrew and his team took it to the wind tunnel last month.(HMS PR)
Monday, March 30, 2009
Hendrick, ex-gov had close relationship: Former Gov. Mike Easley crashed one of NASCAR titan Rick Hendrick's race cars, went with him to receptions and hung around with him at races. But the relationship between the two men goes deeper than public appearances, and it has been good to both. Records obtained by The News & Observer show that Easley traveled last year on a Hendrick racing team jet to Hendrick's retreat on a Florida island. The records also show that former first lady Mary Easley has been driving a new $30,000 Honda Accord that the Easleys didn't buy. It belongs to one of Hendrick's Charlotte dealerships, which bought it during the final week of Easley's administration. Racing businesses owned by Hendrick and others have received tax breaks for corporate jet fuel and other government help, sometimes with Easley's assistance. (Charlotte Observer)
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
HMS engine failures caused by bad parts: Hendrick Motorsports officials say a bad batch of parts led to engine failures by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. "Both cars had valve train failures that were related to a specific batch of parts from a vendor," said Doug Duchardt, HMS' vice president of development. Duchardt said the parts were not restricted to use by Earnhardt and Martin, whose cars are prepared out of the same building. He said they also were used by Hendrick drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, as well as lease programs such as Stewart-Haas Racing. Earnhardt finished 39th and Martin 40th after both lost their engines within 25 laps of each other. Gordon finished second and Johnson was ninth, combining to lead 138 of 250 laps. Tony Stewart was eighth and led three laps. "So we're glad it wasn't more widespread," Duchardt said. (ESPN.com)
Friday, January 16, 2009
Langenstein recipient of 2008 Papa Joe Hendrick Award of Excellence
Brad Keselowski to attempt seven races: Brad Keselowski will kick off his 2009 Sprint Cup Series schedule by attempting to qualify for the March 1 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Hendrick Motorsports this week finalized the Shelby 427 and six other Sprint Cup events for the 24-year-old driver. It was announced Jan. 7 that Keselowski, a native of Rochester Hills, Mich., will attempt a seven-race Sprint Cup schedule this season for Hendrick Motorsports in the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevys. The effort will be led by veteran crew chief Lance McGrew. "It's exciting to have everything finalized and ready to go for 2009," said Keselowski, who also will compete full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports. "We're going to some tracks where I'm pretty confident, and we're going to some places where I really need the additional seat time. I'm especially excited about going to Michigan. The track isn't far from Rochester Hills, and it's going to be really cool to race in front of all my family and friends. All the tracks we're going to are great, but that one will definitely be a highlight for me. .(HM PR)
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Ginn/HMS Holdings contract numbers: If you’re looking to lease engines from Hendrick Motorsports for a NASCAR operation, you’d better be prepared to open up your wallet. A legal battle being played out in North Carolina courts is offering rare insight into the usually secretive world of the sport’s finances as the Hendrick operation seeks compensation from the Ginn Racing team that wound up as part of Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2007. According to a contract filed as part of the case, the Hendrick engine lease agreement with Ginn Racing called for Ginn to pay a base rent of $12.8 million in 2007 and $13.7 million in 2008 to lease engines for its three Sprint Cup teams and one team in what is now the Nationwide Series. The fee covered Cup engines for 36 race events and up to nine tests or special events and Nationwide engines for 35 events, according to the contract filed as part of a lawsuit by HMS Holdings against Ginn Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. over the termination fees resulting from the Ginn-DEI merger in July 2007.(SceneDaily.com)
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Jeff Gordon willing to take salary cut: On Monday, Jeff Gordon, four-time Cup champion, told the Sporting News wire service he is willing to take a salary cut -- Forbes magazine lists his annual income, including endorsements, at $32 million -- if it would help his team, Hendrick Motorsports, through the economic crisis. "It's no laughing matter," said Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet. "It's tough times. It's something to be very serious about. ... I'll do whatever it takes for us to have the best team we can possibly have. If that means take part of my salary to keep certain people on or hire certain people, I'll do it." Gordon added that luxuries that go with being a racing star probably no longer are warranted. "It's stupid what we spend on motor homes and planes and all this," he said. "Do we need that? No." (ThatsRacin)
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
HMS Holdings sues DEI: HMS Holdings, which operates the Hendrick Motorsports engine shop, is suing Dale Earnhardt Inc. for $1.5 million for the payment of a termination fee stemming from a contract to supply Hendrick engines to Ginn Racing. Ginn Racing, which also is a defendant in the suit filed Friday in North Carolina Superior Court, merged with DEI in July 2007. As part of the merger, DEI and Ginn Racing signed a termination agreement to a contract that was originally signed by Ginn in 2006. The termination agreement required payments to HMS of $1.754 million by July 31, 2007, and $1.5 million by Nov. 15, 2008, according to the suit. (SceneDaily.com)
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Brad Keselowski to attempt Homestead: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy, will attempt to qualify for his second Sprint Cup Series race this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Keselowski, 24, made his Cup debut earlier this month at Texas Motor Speedway and picked up Sunday's race at Homestead after his first qualifying attempt at Lowe's Motor Speedway was rained out. Keselowski joined elite company after making his Cup debut on Nov. 2 at Texas Motor Speedway, rallying from a 37th-place starting spot to finish 19th. Of his four Hendrick Motorsports teammates, only Dale Earnhardt Jr. did better in his Cup debut. Earnhardt scored a 16th-place finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway in 1999. Veteran crew chief Lance McGrew once again will call the shots for Keselowski and the #25 GoDaddy.com Chevy team at Homestead-Miami Speedway. McGrew, who has been successful working with young drivers like Ricky Hendrick, Vickers and Kyle Busch, is a former Sprint Cup Series race winner and Nationwide Series champion.(HMS PR)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Johnson, Hendrick on ABC/ESPN's Phoenix telecast: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series viewers in two time zones were somewhat surprised to see Sunday's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway moved to another network before it was concluded. After a pair of red-flag periods delayed the race, which had engines firing for the start at 3:52 EST, ABC officials made the decision to shift the conclusion of the race to ESPN2 in order to show the regularly-scheduled "America's Funniest Home Videos" to viewers in Eastern and Central Standard Time zones. Race winner Jimmie Johnson and team owner Rick Hendrick were surprised to hear of the switch following the event. "It doesn't say very much," team owner Rick Hendrick said when asked what the move said about the Chase. "I didn't know that. That's where my mother is. I'm glad my phone went dead at the end of the race." Johnson laughed in his response, but admitted his own surprise. "Well, I thought it went dark and nobody could watch it," he said. "So the fact that it was on another television channel was, I mean, it's better. It's still somewhat on a prime channel of course on ABC, but to go to America's Funniest Home Videos, that one hurts, no doubt. I thought we have a lot of characters. Why do we need that show?" (ScaneDaily.com)
Friday, July 4, 2008
Hendrick Motorsports announces Mark Martin in the #5 in 2009: Mark Martin, a 35-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner and the all-time leader in NASCAR Nationwide Series victories, has signed a two-year agreement to drive for Hendrick Motorsports beginning in 2009. Martin will race the full 2009 Sprint Cup schedule in the No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolets, becoming teammates with Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. It will mark his first full season of Cup competition since 2006, when he finished ninth in points. A Batesville, Ark., native, Martin also is slated to run a partial Sprint Cup schedule for Hendrick Motorsports in 2010, sharing the No. 5 Chevys with a to-be-determined second driver. Martin will enter 26 events, including the non-points Budweiser Shootout and NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. "Mark is an incredible racer and one of the classiest guys around," said Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, whose organization will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2009. "He is a driver who makes everyone around him better, and our entire company is going to benefit from his presence." (HMS PR)
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