Full Description
"Spanning forty years and more than three hundred victories, the contributions of countless people have built Hendrick Motorsports into the greatest team in NASCAR history. This book is made up of their stories." —Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon, from the foreword
Celebrate the NASCAR-champion team's 40th anniversary with this officially licensed history featuring stunning photography, including rare images from the Hendrick Motorsports archive.
Rick Hendrick built on a successful career in the retail automotive business to launch NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports in 1984. Over the ensuing four decades, it has become one of the most successful and high-profile teams in the sport's long history. Competing in the elite NASCAR Cup Series, as of 2023, the team had posted the most points-paying wins and the most championships.
Hendrick Motorsports' driver roster is a who's who of the sport's greats, including NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Terry Labonte, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Today the team fields four drivers: William Byron, Alex Bowman, and Cup champions Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. Hendrick Motorsports even fielded a team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023!
Hendrick Motorsportsrelates the team's incredible history through 40 stories focused on team milestones since its founding in 1984. Stories and highlights include:
The first win at Martinsville that saved the team
Involvement with the motion picture "Days of Thunder"
The dominance of Jeff Gordon and the Rainbow Warriors
The team's historic 1-2-3 finish at the 1997 DAYTONA 500
The record-tying seven championships of Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus
Hendrick Motorsports and the Earnhardts
Becoming the first team to reach 300 wins at NASCAR's highest level
The ground-breaking Garage 56 Le Mans program
Authored by long-time NASCAR journalist Ben White, with a foreword by Jeff Gordon and afterword by Rick Hendrick, the 200-page book includes images from top NASCAR photographer Nigel Kinrade and from Hendrick Motorsport's archive. As the official 40th anniversary book covering the team's entire history, Hendrick Motorsport: 40 Years is the ideal retrospective.
Contents
Section 1 1980s
1 An Unlikely Powerhouse
2 Keeping the Lights On: Martinsville Win Saves Hendrick Motorsports
3 The Road to Daytona
4 Hendrick Becomes a Modern Multi-Car Team
5 Shooting Star: The Brilliance of Tim Richmond
6 Like a Dream: Darrell Waltrip Arrives with Expectations
7 Ken Schrader Joins "Pop's Team"
8 Hitting the Road: The Corvette GTP Program
9 Sidebar: Linda Hendrick's Steady Presence
SECTION 2 1990s
10 Going Hollywood: The Making of Days of Thunder
11 Ricky Rudd Brings Swagger and Strong Résumé
12 Changing the Sport: Jeff Gordon and the Rainbow Warriors
13 Home Game: Bragging Rights at Charlotte
14 T-Rex: Creating a Monster
15 Terry Labonte Ices Another Championship
16 Truckin': Jack Sprague Delivers Three Titles
17 This One's for You: Daytona Sweep Stirs Emotions
18 Sidebar: It's All About People: Rick Hendrick's Winning Culture
SECTION 3 2000s
19 Ricky Hendrick: An Emerging Leader
20 Stepping In: John Hendrick at the Helm
21 Live From New York! It's Jeff Gordon and Saturday Night Live
22 No. 24 Team's Fourth Championship Cements Place in History
23 Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Move Rocks NASCAR
24 Seventh Heaven: The Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus Dynasty
25 The Triumph and Tragedy of Martinsville
26 Sidebar: A Winning Combination: Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet
SECTION 4 2010s
27 Talented Kasey Kahne Joins the Team
28 Chase Elliott: Second-Generation Champion
29 An Unconventional Path Brings William Byron on Board
30 Alan Gustafson's Winning Ways
31 Rick's Refuge: The Hendrick Heritage Center
32 Sidebar: Hendrick Motorsports and the NASCAR Hall of Fame
SECTION 5 2020s
33 The Enduring Legacy of Randy Dorton
34 1-2-3-4: Alex Bowman Leads Historic Dover Finish
35 269: A New Wins Record
36 Wasting No Time: Kyle Larson Dominates
2021 Season
37 Jeff Gordon: Takin' Care of Business
38 NASCAR to Le Mans: Garage 56 Goes Global
39 The Double: Larson Chases Crown Jewels
40 Sidebar: 300 and Counting
AFTERWORD BY RICK HENDRICK
APPENDICES
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PHOTO CREDITS
INDEX
