HMS Notes: Celebrating 20 Years

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 12, 2004) – Hendrick Motorsports was born in 1984, fielding a single team in the prestigious NASCAR Winston Cup Series (now NEXTEL Cup) that earned three victories and three pole positions as “All-Star Racing” with driver Geoff Bodine. Driving the No. 5 Chevrolet, Bodine qualified ninth and finished eighth in the team’s first entry in the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, where Hendrick is now fielding five teams in two NASCAR divisions during Speedweeks. Entering its 20th anniversary season, Hendrick Motorsports has captured five Cup Series championships, three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series titles, one NASCAR Busch Series crown, and more than 100 Cup Series victories. Since 1984, Chevrolet race cars entered by Hendrick Motorsports have won more than 150 NASCAR-sanctioned races, including four Daytona 500s. THIS WEEK IN HENDRICK HISTORY: Feb. 14, 1987 – Geoff Bodine won the Goody’s 300 NASCAR Busch Series race at Daytona International Speedway. It was Hendrick’s 10th-ever win on the circuit. Feb. 15, 1987 – One day after Bodine won in Busch Series competition, Benny Parsons drove the No. 35 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to a runner-up finish in the Daytona 500. Feb. 14, 1988 – Driving the No. 25 Chevrolet, Ken Schrader started from the pole position to finish sixth in the Daytona 500. The pole was the 26th for Hendrick. Feb. 14, 1993 – Jeff Gordon made his first-ever start in the Daytona 500, starting third and finishing fifth. Feb. 14, 1999 – Gordon won the Daytona 500 from the pole position, earning Hendrick Motorsports its 86th Cup Series triumph. It was his second victory in “The Great American Race.” TOP-10 FOR 20: Hendrick Motorsports has placed at least one team in the final top 10 in the Cup Series point standings for 20 consecutive years (1984-2003). Multiple Hendrick teams have finished in the top 10 in the same season on 13 different occasions. DO THE MATH: Coming into the 2004 season, Hendrick Motorsports has earned 117 Cup Series victories in 625 events entered. That’s one win for every 5.34 races. THREE FOR THREE & FOUR IN A ROW: Rick Hendrick is one of just three team owners to win championships in each of NASCAR’s top three divisions -- Cup Series, Busch Series and Truck Series. He is the only team owner to win four consecutive Cup Series championships (1995, 1996, 1997 & 1998). HMS STREAKS: As of 2003, Hendrick Motorsports has earned at least one Cup Series pole position in 20 consecutive years (1984-2003) and at least one Cup Series win in 18 straight (1986-2003). HENDRICK CHAMPIONS: Hendrick Motorsports has fielded championship-winning teams with four different drivers -- Jeff Gordon (Cup Series), Terry Labonte (Cup Series), Jack Sprague (Truck Series), and Brian Vickers (Busch Series). ROLL CALL: Drivers that have driven for Hendrick Motorsports over the past 20 years include: Geoff Bodine, Kyle Busch, Ricky Craven, Wally Dallenbach, Jeff Gordon, David Green, Rick Hendrick, Ricky Hendrick, Jimmie Johnson, Terry Labonte, Jerry Nadeau, Joe Nemechek, Benny Parsons, Tim Richmond, Ricky Rudd, Ken Schrader, Jack Sprague, Brian Vickers, and Darrell Waltrip.