INDIANAPOLIS – To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Brickyard 400 and the 40th anniversary of Hendrick Motorsports, Rick Hendrick will serve as the honorary pace car driver for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race on the storied Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.
Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group, will drive the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 pace car and lead the field to the green flag.
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“Time goes by fast,” Hendrick said. “I can’t believe it’s been four decades since we started Hendrick Motorsports and 30 years since Jeff (Gordon) won the inaugural Brickyard 400. I’ll never forget the excitement around that event and the thrill of winning a race at Indianapolis.
“I’m grateful to our 40-year partners at Chevrolet for the opportunity to drive a pace car for the first time. I also want to thank my great friend Roger Penske and everyone at the track. Taking the field to green on Sunday will be something I’ll always remember.”
In May 2021, Hendrick Motorsports became the winningest team in Cup Series history. At NASCAR’s top level, it holds every major statistical record, including championships, points-paying victories, pole positions and laps led. The team has won at least one race in a record 40 different seasons and maintains an active streak of 39 in a row (1986-2024). Hendrick is also NASCAR’s all-time leader in national series championships with 18 overall.
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“For all of us at GM and Chevrolet, as well as for our partners at IMS, it’s an honor to have Rick Hendrick lead the NASCAR Cup Series field to the green flag at this year’s Brickyard 400,” General Motors president Mark Reuss said. “Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports have had a storied history together over the past 40 years. Having Rick pace the 30th anniversary of this prestigious race is a special way to celebrate our partnership and the legacy he has built in NASCAR.”
Hendrick Motorsports won the inaugural Brickyard 400 on Aug. 6, 1994. The winning Chevrolet Lumina that was driven by Gordon, who now serves as the team’s vice chairman, will be showcased in the Chevrolet display located in track’s fan midway throughout the weekend.
“Honoring history, even as we look to the future, is a huge part of everything we do at IMS,” track president J. Douglas Boles said. “Rick and Hendrick Motorsports made history here in 1994 with Jeff Gordon’s win in the inaugural Brickyard on the famed oval. As we return to the oval and celebrate 30 years with NASCAR, having Rick pace the field is a fitting celebration.”
NASCAR commemorates 30 years at the Racing Capital of the World with the return to the 2.5-mile oval on Sunday, July 21, at 2:30 p.m. ET. The race will air live on NBC, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and the IMS Radio Network. Visit IMS.com for ticket information.