DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Hendrick Motorsports will paint Martinsville Speedway red with its four Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s for the Sunday, April 7, NASCAR Cup Series race at the Virginia short track.
For this race only, the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevy of Kyle Larson, the No. 9 UniFirst Chevy of Chase Elliott, the No. 24 Axalta Chevy of William Byron and the No. 48 Ally Chevy of Alex Bowman will sport ruby red paint schemes. The cars will be in celebration of the team’s 40th anniversary.
EVERY ANGLE: See the ruby red paint schemes for Martinsville
"It has always been a special color to me," team owner Rick Hendrick said of the red paint schemes on all four of his cars, which was also the color of his first car and first Chevrolet. "To be able to unveil these cars is pretty special."
In 1984, Hendrick Motorsports went by All-Star Racing and was on the verge of closing its doors. After being persuaded by crew chief Harry Hyde to let driver Geoff Bodine run the eighth race of the season at Martinsville, team owner Rick Hendrick’s decision to let it ride paid off in a big way. Bodine won the race – the first for Hendrick and the first of 301 Cup Series victories for the winningest organization in the sport’s top series. In a fun twist, this year’s spring race will also be the eighth race of the 2024 season.
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The Martinsville spring race festivities will also see Hendrick serve as the honorary pace car and Bodine and team vice chairman Jeff Gordon as the event’s grand marshal. The 0.526-mile track has been the site of much success for the 14-time Cup Series championship-winning organization.
Their 28 wins at Martinsville are the most all-time by a team at track. Those wins have come among nine drivers, which is also tied for the most to win at one track. Gordon and Jimmie Johnson lead the way with nine wins there (are tied for the third-most in track history) for Hendrick Motorsports followed by Darrell Waltrip with four wins. Bodine, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and all four of the team’s current drivers – Bowman, Byron, Elliott and Larson – each have one win there. With its performance in the April 2022 race, Hendrick Motorsports became the first team to lead over 10,000 laps at one track.
PHOTOS: See every win at Martinsville for Hendrick Motorsports
"Having those 28 wins, the clocks and what it means to the organization we want to see it go on," Hendrick said of the team’s success at Martinsville. "I feel good about our chances every time we go back to Martinsville. It’s been a legacy track for us. I grew up not far from there (in Palmer Springs), so it is a special place."
Hendrick Motorsports 40th anniversary comes after a season in which the Cup team won its 300th race (at Texas Motor Speedway with Byron) and the engine shop recorded its 500th NASCAR national series win (at Darlington Raceway with Larson). The organization is closing in on 80,000 laps led – currently sitting at 79,757 circuits out front. They are also four poles away from 250 as a company. Both the laps led and pole marks are already the high marks for teams in the series. In addition, Hendrick Motorsports has earned at least one race win in a record 39 different seasons, including an active streak of 38 in a row (1986-2023).
With so much already accomplished, the NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner has an eye on the future.
MORE: Hendrick's people-first approach drives legacy of Hendrick Motorsports
"If you look at any company and you talk to anyone that has been involved from five people to what we have today, you have people that helped you along the way," Hendrick said. "We want to talk about the next 40 years in racing and the next 50 years in the automobile business because people did this. We didn’t do it. A lot of people work every single day, come in and make it happen.
"There is so much effort put into a racing organization to win and everybody new that comes in carries the water. It’s too good to stop on both fronts. I am excited to celebrate 40 years with the fans and I am very appreciative.”
For additional details about the 40th anniversary plans for Hendrick Motorsports, click here.
