CONCORD, N.C. – This weekend, night racing makes its return to NASCAR.
The four Hendrick Motorsports teams have arrived at Texas Motor Speedway for Saturday’s event and will take to the track tomorrow afternoon for qualifying.
Including two wins just last year, the organization boasts eight victories at the 1.5-mile oval. Hendrick Motorsports has also logged 31 top-five finishes, 56 top-10s, six pole awards and have led a cumulative 2,251 total laps.
However, before the lights turn on and the engines start, let’s take a look back at three very memorable Hendrick Motorsports moments at Texas Motor Speedway.
Nov. 4, 2007: Jimmie Johnson donned a cowboy hat in Victory Lane twice last year as he swept the podium for the year at Texas Motor Speedway. However, his first win at the Fort Worth, Texas, track came nine years ago with just three races remaining in the year. The driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet took the green flag in eighth and took over the lead for the first time on Lap 274. He led a total of nine laps before taking the checkered flag ahead of teammates Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon, who also landed top-10 finishes. He won the following week’s race at Phoenix before adding a second championship trophy to his collection.
Apr. 6, 2008: In his first season with Hendrick Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Jr. claimed his solitary pole award of the year at Texas Motor Speedway. At a speed of 190.907 mph and a time of 28.286 seconds, the driver of the No. 88 Chevy laid down the quickest lap during qualifying, earning his spot on the front row for the 334-lap race. He led 31 laps but ultimately crossed under the checkered flag in 12th.
Nov. 8, 2009: Gordon earned two pole awards at Texas but the final one of his career came in 2009 while the driver was sitting third in the point standings. He laid down a one-lap qualifying time of 28.255 seconds at 191.117 mph. He led the first 11 laps of the race and was the second Hendrick Motorsports finisher of the day, taking home a 13th-place finish behind teammate Mark Martin.
