CONCORD, N.C. – With only four races remaining before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the Hendrick Motorsports drivers are grabbing some much-needed rest and relaxation on the last off-weekend of the 2016 season.
Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott have already shared some of their vacation activities, with Johnson taking to the water and Elliott trading in his race car for his mountain bike.
However, the drivers aren’t the only ones taking a weekend off. Many team and shop members also line their vacations up with the off-weekends.
STAYING BUSY BEFORE VACATION
Andy Quillan, driver of the No. 88 hauler, is heading south to Charleston, South Carolina, for a three-day getaway with his girlfriend.
“We were going to do it last year but I was looking at houses and we decided to save our money and stay home,” Quillan said. ‘This year came around and she got time off and I already had the time off so it’s like, ‘Let’s just go. We’ve talked about it, we’ll book a hotel and go.’”
Although he won’t be traveling with the hauler this weekend, Quillan has kept himself plenty busy this week in the shop.
“There’s always stuff to do, it’s never-ending,” he said. “Mainly just thorough cleaning, fixing any small things we haven’t really had time to fix. I had the whole lounge cleaned out, shampooed the rugs, all that, so it’s all done and put back together.”
The weekend off also provides a chance to regroup before the Chase begins.
“You kind of get to regroup a little and think about what you want to do game-plan wise,” Quillan said.
SALTY AIR AND PICKUP TRUCKS
For race engineer on the No. 88 team Travis Peterson, the off-weekend is the perfect time to work on his cherished 1956 Chevy pickup truck before meeting his family at the beach.
“I’m going to work on my pickup truck and rewire it because it’s the only time I have,” Peterson said.
Peterson has had his 1956 Chevy truck for two years and the off-weekend provides the ideal chance to rewire the truck’s entire electrical system.
“I have always been into classic cars,” Peterson said. “I grew up going to car shows and always dreamed about owning them.”
With the intense NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule and working 38 out of 52 weeks of the year, Peterson and many others look forward to recharging their batteries as well as traveling away from the track.
“It is fun,” Peterson said. “It’s nice to have a little bit of a break and be a normal person for a while. We cherish our moments off.”
TEAM STORE SUMMER DISCOUNTS
In this week’s #HendrickSummer guide, you can receive a special discount on a Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 Performance Locker T-Shirt in both the team store and the online store. To receive 10 percent off your Hat, use the code HENDRICKSUMMER at checkout.
And remember, look for another of #HendrickSummer feature next week for new stories and a brand new discounted item and share with us your favorite summer activities and more using the hashtag #HendrickSummer.