CONCORD, N.C. – Of the hundreds of team members at Hendrick Motorsports, it’s hard to find one who doesn’t love a great competition. So, it’s no surprise that the second annual Hendrick Motorsports Fishing Tournament brought out that competitive spirit as employees and their families participated in this year’s event.
The organization’s chaplain, Donnie Floyd, organized the event that brought out 71 participants, 259 fish and more than $2,000 in prizes donated by Shimano. There were plenty of fish to be caught in the many ponds located on the Hendrick Motorsports campus. Although they are closed to the general public, many team members enjoy fishing at the ponds during the warmer months of the year.
“Racing is a busy sport and profession that keeps employees away from their families a lot,” Floyd said. “So, what better way to bring them together than doing something they enjoy? It was great to see so many families spending time together. Hendrick Motorsports has always been about the people and their families. To see the smiles on kids’ faces when they caught a fish with mom or dad at their workplace was priceless!”
Hendrick Motorsports show car manager Lindsey Clanton Anderson attended the event for the first time this year and brought along family members to join in on the fun.
“You work beside all of your fellow employees and a lot of time only get to scratch the surface, if at all into personal life,” she said. “Friends get married, have kids, et cetera, and we don’t always get to share that part of our lives with them. Seeing the families and kids that enjoy the same things as you adds an entirely different level of family community at work.”
Plenty of families used the event as a way to get everyone together and create memories.
When the day concluded, six awards were given including the largest catch of the day. The winner was Ricky Black Welder, who caught a 11.22-pound catfish.
For the second year in a row, the event was a great success.
“As far as next year, based on the input from those that fished, they can't wait to do it again,” Floyd said.
