CONCORD, N.C. – Opened in 2001, Kansas Speedway is currently home to two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races a year. This weekend Hendrick Motorsports will be gearing up for the first race of the season at the 1.5-mile track.
Over the years, Kansas Speedway has brought Hendrick Motorsports five wins, 23 top-five finishes and 41 top-10s.
But before the drivers head to the tri-oval track to add to those numbers, let’s take a look at three memorable Hendrick Motorsports moments at Kansas.
Oct. 9, 2011 – Jimmie Johnson was racing for his second win of the 2011 season. Winning at Kansas was something he knew how to do, but this one would not be easy. When the green flag dropped, Johnson started 19th. By Lap 24 he was already leading the pack. After leading 197 of 267 laps, the No. 48 Chevrolet SS pulled into Victory Lane. Johnson went on to finish the season sixth in the point standings.
May 10, 2014 – It was the 11th race of the season and Jeff Gordon was itching for a win. Throughout the race he moved up from his 13th-place starting position. With only nine laps led, Gordon took the checkered flag in a close victory. Gordon finished the 2014 season with four wins in his pocket and sixth in the point standings.
Oct. 4, 2009 – Mark Martin was in his first season with Hendrick Motorsports. The end of the season was approaching and Martin already had five pole positions and five race wins in 2009. With a qualifying speed of 175.758 mph, Martin clinched his sixth pole of the season. After leading the first 11 laps of the race, he finished seventh and was leading in the points. At the end of the season he went into the race at Homestead vying for a championship, but fell second to none other than his teammate, Johnson.
