Hendrick Motorsports

Hendrick Motorsports was founded in 1984 by Rick Hendrick, an auto dealer from Charlotte, North Carolina, and initially competed under the name All-Star Racing. Together with Crew Chief Harry Hyde, the team started with a single Chevrolet and just five full-time employees, driven by Geoff Bodine. The victory at the Martinsville race in April 1984 came at the perfect time for the young team: without sponsor money, the team’s existence was in jeopardy, but the first triumph in the Cup Series secured the necessary financial foundation. Just one year later, in 1985, the team was renamed Hendrick Motorsports.

A distinctive feature of the organization is its home: the company headquarters is located in Concord, North Carolina, directly on Papa Joe Hendrick Boulevard, named after Rick Hendrick’s father. On a campus of more than 100 acres with over 430,000 square feet, race car construction, engine shop, development department, administration, and even a public museum are housed. Since 1995, the team has also awarded the Papa Joe Hendrick Award of Excellence to employees, a tradition that reflects the family character of the company to this day.

The most defining era is undoubtedly the time with Jeff Gordon in the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet: after signing on in 1992, Gordon won championships in 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001, while Terry Labonte brought the title home for Hendrick in 1996 in the No. 5. Starting in 2002, Rick Hendrick relied on young Jimmie Johnson in the No. 48, who together with Crew Chief Chad Knaus achieved a historic streak of five consecutive titles between 2006 and 2010 as well as additional championships in 2013 and 2016. These years made Hendrick Motorsports the most successful team in NASCAR history, with now over 320 race wins and 15 driver and team championships.

In the present day, the team remains at the top: Rick Hendrick continues to serve as Owner and Chairman, Jeff Gordon as Vice Chairman. The current driver lineup consists of Kyle Larson in the No. 5, Chase Elliott in the No. 9, William Byron in the No. 24, and Alex Bowman in the No. 48, all driving the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The success continues: Elliott won the title in 2020, Larson followed in 2021 and again in 2025. For the 2026 season, Hendrick Motorsports enters as defending champion and the standard of the Cup Series, with the clear ambition to continue its own record streak of wins and championships.