Rick Hendrick Tag

By David Morgan, NASCAR Contributor With the majority of the races for the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season already sponsored, Chase Elliott and his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team still had a few races to fill, but on Monday the team announced a new sponsor to join the fold for Elliott’s sophomore season. Hooters, which has sponsored a car in over 150 races in the Cup Series over the years, most notably for Alan Kulwicki’s 1992 championship season, returned to NASCAR last season after a long hiatus andRead More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer *Editor’s note: Motorsports Tribune will be previewing the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season for 24 drivers. We will release one driver preview per day over a 24-day stretch. Age: 36 Years in Cup: 13 Career Wins: 17 Biggest Accomplishment: 2006 Season (Six wins and an 8th-place finish in the standings) There’s no doubt that now is the time to perform for Kasey Kahne. The 2017 season will mark Kahne’s sixth with Henrick Motorsports behind the wheel of the No. 5 Chevrolet and his thirdRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Chip Ganassi sees the relationship between his team and fellow NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick’s only improving as they move forward. Hendrick Motorsports has supplied engines to Chip Ganassi Racing since the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. However, after Stewart-Haas Racing elected to move from Chevrolet to Ford, which is set to start in 2017, it terminated the alliance built up between SHR and Hendrick. This situation led to speculation that CGR may become even more closely affiliated with the 11-time NASCARRead More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor HOMESTEAD, Fla. — All is right in the world of Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus. The dynamic driver and crew chief duo are hitting on all cylinders heading into the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. At stake? A record-tying seventh championship for Johnson, but 11 years ago this weekend, the team of Johnson and Knaus was nearly split up. Hendrick discussed his thought process as the competitive Johnson and Knaus started butting heads back in 2005. “You know, every — I think it’s theRead More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer Sunday’s championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway marks the first time Jimmie Johnson has made it to the Championship 4 in this the third season of the current version of the Chase format. The past two seasons have seen Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch win the final race of the season to earn the championship. Despite 79 career victories, the 1.5-mile track in Florida is one of just four on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule where Johnson has yet to win. However, it’s important toRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service DARLINGTON, S.C. – Two conclusions were inescapable after Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s news conference on Sunday at Darlington Raceway. First, the decision not to clear Earnhardt medically for the remainder of the 2016 season was both prudent and necessary; and second, Earnhardt is committed to racing again at NASCAR’s highest levels with the support of medical professionals who believe he will be able to do so. “I definitely don’t belong in a race car today by any stretch of the imagination,” Earnhardt said in theRead More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Contributor After missing six races while recovering from a concussion, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will miss the remainder of the 2016 season as he continues his recovery. On Friday, Hendrick Motorsports announced that Earnhardt had not been medically cleared to race for the final 12 races of the year. “I wish I could return to the No. 88 team this season. To say I’m disappointed doesn’t begin to describe how I feel, but I know this is the right thing for my long-term health and career. I’mRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service BRISTOL, Tenn. – Team owner Rick Hendrick made two things abundantly clear during a press conference at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon to discuss the signing of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series leader William Byron. First, Hendrick had no specific update as to the status of Dale Earnhardt Jr., other than to say that Earnhardt is progressing in his recovery from concussion-like symptoms and wants to return to the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet as soon as possible. “Dale looks great,” Hendrick said.Read More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Contributor After a breakout season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series behind the wheel of a Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota, rookie sensation William Byron will be moving back to the Chevrolet camp starting in 2017. Byron, who has racked up five wins in the Truck Series in 2016, signed a multi-year contract with Hendrick Motorsports on Thursday, allowing him to move up to the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports beginning in 2017. “William is a special person and a special talent. It’s been impressive toRead More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor The NASCAR Hall of Fame voting committee had their work cut out for them as they had to narrow 20 legendary names down to just five who would make it into enshrinement for the Hall’s 2017 Class based on their on-track accolades. There were many deserving candidates on this year’s ballot, but there were five that stood out above the rest according to the voters. Benny Parsons Parsons was an incredible driver, as he amassed 21 victories in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, including theRead More