2016 Team Preview: Hendrick Motorsports

By Jerry BonkowskiJan 21, 2016, 5:49 PM EST

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS

SPRINT CUP DRIVER LINEUP: Jimmie Johnson (Chad Knaus), Chase Elliott (Alan Gustafson), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Greg Ives), Kasey Kahne (Keith Rodden).

XFINITY DRIVER LINEUP: None

CHANGES: Biggest change is the retirement of four-time champion Jeff Gordon and the ascension of 2014 Xfinity Series champ Chase Elliott to the Sprint Cup Series. Gustafson remains as crew chief of the No. 24.

DID YOU KNOW: Team owner Rick Hendrick was inducted last week into the National Motorsports Press Association along with Joe Gibbs and IndyCar great Al Unser. … After winning five championships in a row, Jimmie Johnson skipped two years before earning his sixth title. He’s now missed winning the championship again for the last two years. Is he due in 2016, at least numerically? … Even though he’ll segue into the broadcast booth for Fox Sports, Jeff Gordon will remain co-owner of Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48 car and team.

EXPECTATIONS: Look for Johnson and Knaus to figure out a way to get through the Chase and into the final round this season. … Given that the first two winners of the new format of the Chase were first-time Sprint Cup champs (Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch), will Dale Earnhardt continue the trend and be the third first-time Cup champ in 2016? … While hopes are high, expectations are more realistic for Chase Elliott in his first season. Probably the biggest goal is for him to win Rookie of the Year honors. Anything after that (including a win or making the Chase) will be a bonus.

WHAT THEY SAID:

“I think we’re better going into this year. We’re definitely going to miss Jeff Gordon. But I think the teams are fired up. We want to be contenders and we want to win the championship. We want to do that every year. We started by really digging in last summer. We had a heart-to-heart with everybody, all of us together, to see what we could do to be better.” – Team owner Rick Hendrick

“You always get fired up this time of year. The proof is when you get down to Daytona and see how you do. We’ve won a lot of those races. If we can go down and win that race to kick off the season, I think we’ll be in good shape.” – Team owner Rick Hendrick

“I’m excited about watching Chase race, he’s very mature for his age and he has a lot of talent. … I’ve seen Chase handle pressure so well, not make any mistakes, always says the right thing. I don’t think he gets rattled. All the testing he’s done, he’s been good. He’s been extremely fast but extremely careful. He doesn’t wreck a lot of cars. There’s no pressure other than what he puts on himself. He handles it well. … Chase is a little bit different driver, he’s more like his dad than Jimmie (Johnson) or Jeff (Gordon). I’m excited. I think he’s going to win a race this year and has a real good shot of making the Chase. I would never put him in a car if I didn’t think he could do it.” – Team owner Rick Hendrick on Chase Elliott.

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Charlotte race green flag delayed by weather

By Mike HembreeMay 28, 2023, 6:21 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — Rain showers hammered Charlotte Motor Speedway virtually all day Sunday and led to a delay in the start of the Coca-Cola 600, the NASCAR Cup Series’ longest race.

The race was scheduled to start at 6:21 p.m. ET, but light rain was still falling at that time in the speedway area near Charlotte.

The evening forecast showed slight improvement, and track chairman Marcus Smith tweeted that he was projecting a start of the race between 8 and 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

William Byron will start the race from the pole after qualifying was washed out Saturday night.

Saturday’s 300-mile Xfinity Series race was postponed because of weather and is scheduled for noon Monday.

Weather meeting update from @CLTMotorSpdwy … Here’s what I heard …. Spotty showers from now to 6pm. Then things lift and we start drying the track. Projecting 8-8:30 start time.
No guarantees, but I hope they are right! We shall see. https://t.co/WnxtXjTEzL

— Marcus Smith (@MarcusSMI) May 28, 2023

RFK Racing gains sponsorship from submarine recruiting group

By Mike HembreeMay 28, 2023, 3:30 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — NASCAR racing and submarines? Yes.

RFK Racing announced Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway that it has entered a partnership with BlueForge Alliance, which is involved in securing workers for the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) program. BuildSubmarines.com will be a primary sponsor for RFK drivers Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher in 10 Cup Series races this year and in 18 races per season beginning in 2024.

The sponsorship will showcase the careers related to the submarine-building program across the nation.

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“I’m proud to support a cause of such vital significance to our country with this new partnership,” Keselowski said. “The synergies between a NASCAR team and our military’s needs to stay on track fast are countless. We hope to inspire the workforce of the next generation across the country when they see RFK race and hear our message.”

The sponsorship will support the mission to recruit, hire, train, develop and retain the SIB workforce that will build the Navy’s next generation of submarines, the team said.

“We are excited and grateful to be teaming with RFK Racing to drive awareness of the thousands of steady, well-paying manufacturing jobs available across the nation. Innovation, working with purpose and service to others are hallmarks of both of our organizations,” said Kiley Wren, BlueForge chief executive. “Together, we aim to inspire NASCAR fans and all Americans to pursue career opportunities that will support our national defense.”

Kyle Larson visits Indianapolis Motor Speedway to survey the scene

By Mike HembreeMay 28, 2023, 3:02 PM EDT

Former NASCAR champion Kyle Larson, who is scheduled to run the Indianapolis 500 in 2024 as part of an Indy-Charlotte “double,” visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway garage area Sunday on Indianapolis 500 race day.

Larson said he wanted to familiarize himself with the Indy race-day landscape before he becomes immersed in the process next year.

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Larson later returned to Charlotte, where was scheduled to drive in the Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night. Next year, he’s scheduled to run both races.

“I love racing,” Larson told NBC Sports. “I love competing in the biggest races. In my opinion, this is the biggest race in the world. I wanted to be a part of it for a long time, and I finally feel like the timing is right. It’s pretty cool to have a dream come true.

“I wanted to come here and kind of experience it again and get to experience how crazy it is again before I’m in the middle of it next year. I kind of want as little surprise as possible next year.”

In the 2024 500, Larson will be one of four drivers with the Arrow McLaren team.

Earlier this month, Larson and Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon attended an Indy 500 practice day.

Larson said Sunday he hasn’t tested an Indy car.

“I don’t know exactly when I’ll get in the car,” he said. “I’ve had no sim (simulator) time yet. I’ve kind of stayed back. I didn’t want to ask too many questions and take any focus on what they have going on for these couple of weeks. I’m sure that will pick up after today.

“I look forward to the challenge. No matter how this experience goes, I’m going to come out of it a better race car driver.”

Jimmie Johnson: Building a team and pointing toward Le Mans

By Mike HembreeMay 28, 2023, 10:25 AM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — These are busy days in the life of former NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson.

Johnson is a co-owner of Legacy Motor Club, the Cup Series team that has struggled through a difficult first half of the season while it also is preparing for a switch from Chevrolet to Toyota next year.

Johnson is driving a very limited schedule for Legacy as he seeks to not only satisfy his passion for racing but also to gain knowledge as he tries to lift Legacy to another level. As part of that endeavor, he’ll race in the Coca-Cola 600 in Legacy’s No. 84 car, making his third appearance of the season.

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And, perhaps the biggest immediate to-do item on Johnson’s list: He’ll race June 10-11 in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s biggest endurance race and another of the bucket list races the 47-year-old Johnson will check off his list.

“I’m excited, invigorated, exhausted — all of it,” Johnson said. “It has been a really exciting adventure that I’ve embarked on here — to learn from (Legacy co-owner) Maury Gallagher, to be a part of this great team and learn from everyone that I’m surrounded by. I’m in a whole new element here and it’s very exciting to be in a new element.

“At the same time, there are some foundational pieces coming together, decisions that we’re making, that will really help the team grow in the future. And then we have our job at hand – the situation and environment that we have at hand to deal with in the 2023 season. Depends on the hat that I’m wearing, in some respects. There’s been a lot of work, but a lot of excitement and a lot of fun. I truly feel like I’m a part of something that’s really going to be a force in the future of NASCAR.”

Johnson is scheduled to fly to Paris Monday or Tuesday to continue preparations for the Le Mans race. He, Jenson Button and Mike Rockenfeller will be driving a Hendrick Motorsports-prepared Chevrolet as part of Le Mans’ Garage 56 program, which is designed to offer a Le Mans starting spot for a team testing new technologies.

“For me, it’s really been about identifying marquee races around the world and trying to figure out how to run in them,” Johnson said. “Le Mans is a great example of that. Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600 — these are the marquee events.”

He said his biggest concerns approaching the 24-hour race are being overtaken by faster prototypes in corners and racing at night while dealing with the very bright lights of cars approaching in his rear view mirrors.

At Legacy, Johnson has work to do. Erik Jones has a top finish of sixth (and one other top 10) this season, and Noah Gragson is still looking for his first top-10 run. He has a best finish of 12^th – at Atlanta.

“I think Erik (Jones) continues to show me just how good he is,” Johnson said. “He’s been in some challenging circumstances this year and keeps his head on — focuses, executes and gets the job done. I’ve really been impressed with his ability to stay calm and execute and just how good he is.

“With Noah, from watching him before, I wasn’t sure how serious he took his job in the sport. I knew that he was fast, and I knew that he liked to have fun. I can say in the short time that I’ve really worked with him closely, he still has those two elements, but his desire to be as good as he can in this sport has really impressed me. So I guess ultimately, his commitment to his craft is what’s impressed me the most.”

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