CONCORD, N.C. - As a part of NASCAR’s 75th anniversary in 2023, full race replays of over 1,000 events across the sport’s storied history. With 301 victories in the NASCAR Cup Series, Hendrick Motorsports has several of these historic cars on display at the Team Store and Museum.
RELATED: Watch Hendrick Motorsports wins on NASCAR Classics site
In total, 16 winning cars featured in races on the NASCAR Classics website currently have a home in the museum. The first eight of these race cars hit the track from 1987-2005, encompassing a wide range of eras across the company’s racing history.
Read up on eight of the cars on display as Hendrick Motorsports takes you back through the past ahead of the start of the team’s 40th anniversary.
RELATED: How to visit Hendrick Motorsports
Cannot make it to the shop? Check out our virtual tour and see the cars for yourself.
June 21, 1987, Riverside International Raceway: Tim Richmond (Win No. 14 for Hendrick Motorsports)
It’s not possible to tell the story of Hendrick Motorsports without Tim Richmond. The Ashland, Ohio, native teamed up with the Rick Hendrick-led operation in 1986 after several years with other teams in the Cup Series. What followed was a historic seven-win season, a record that stood within the company until Jeff Gordon matched it in 1995. One driving attribute that made Richmond stand out from the others was his skill on road courses. In an era where this type of racing was not as prevalent as the modern Cup Series, Richmond found consistent success on tracks of this nature. Of his nine Cup Series wins at Hendrick Motorsports, three came on tracks turning left and right, making Richmond the team's first "ace" on serpentine layouts. Sitting inside the museum is Richmond’s No. 25 Chevrolet, which was victorious at Riverside in 1987. The win would be his last in the Cup Series.
Feb. 19, 1989, Daytona International Speedway: Darrell Waltrip (Win No. 20 for Hendrick Motorsports)
Starting in 1987, Hendrick Motorsports signed Darrell Waltrip to compete in the No. 17 Chevy on a full-time basis. Waltrip, who had competed in the Cup Series since 1972, ran for the team through the 1990 season and won nine races along the way. His six-win season in 1989 was highlighted by a victory in the 1989 DAYTONA 500, the second victory for Rick Hendrick in the sport’s biggest race. In a fuel mileage event, Waltrip was the only driver to forgo the final pit stop as he utilized several lapped cars as drafting partners to spend less time in the throttle than his competitors. The strategy worked and Waltrip crossed the finish line as the winner. This was his first and only win in "The Great American Race" and at Daytona International Speedway.
RELATED: Exploring the car numbers in the history of Hendrick Motorsports
May 29, 1994, Charlotte Motor Speedway: Jeff Gordon (Win No. 35 for Hendrick Motorsports)
Nearly halfway through his second full-time season, Jeff Gordon entered the Coca-Cola 600 in search of his first career win. To begin the weekend, Gordon and the No. 24 entry took the pole position. The future four-time Cup Series champion only led 16 laps on the day, but it was a key strategy call for a two-tire stop by crew chief Ray Evernham that led to the pairing's first win together. Instead of pitting on a normal cycle, Evernham waited until he could get away with taking less fuel and instructed his pit crew to change right-side tires only, giving Gordon the advantage he needed. The 9.5-second stop under green allowed their driver to find victory lane just a mile down the road from Hendrick Motorsports' shop. The win also happened to be the site of Gordon's now famous line, "I’m speechless. This is the greatest day of my life," as he hopped out of his race-winning car.
Aug. 6, 1994, Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Gordon (Win No. 36 for Hendrick Motorsports)
Before the 1994 season, it was announced that the Cup Series would complete at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time. With excitement in the air and over a quarter of a million people in attendance, the Brickyard 400 quickly became a crown jewel event. After qualifying third, it did not take many laps for Gordon to peak to the inside of the leader down the front straightaway and take the lead. He continued to showcase his strong No. 24 Chevrolet throughout the event but a late caution set up a restart with 26 laps remaining. In a hard-fought battle with Ernie Irvan for the top spot, Irvan’s No. 28 entry cut down a right-front tire with Gordon already in his tire tracks. From there, Gordon grabbed the lead for the final time with five laps to go and drove away for his second career victory in the Cup Series and first in his home state of Indiana.
RELATED: Gordon looks back at role of engine shop in first Indianapolis win
April 14, 1996, North Wilkesboro Speedway: Terry Labonte (Win No. 52 for Hendrick Motorsports)
Terry Labonte competed full-time for Hendrick’s team from 1994 to 2004 and on a part-time basis in '05 and '06. Labonte’s chrome No. 5 Chevrolet has found a home in the Hendrick Motorsports Museum and was victorious at North Wilkesboro Speedway’s first race of 1996. After qualifying on the pole, Labonte would compete inside the top-five spots for most of the event. The Corpus Christi, Texas, native took back the top spot from Rusty Wallace with 27 laps to go after Wallace was caught up in an accident with lapped traffic on the back straightaway. The incident set up a close battle with teammate Gordon for the victory. With 14 laps remaining, Labonte was able to get a good jump on his competition and fend off a hard-charging No. 24 car to claim his first victory in his title-winning season of 1996.
April 28, 2002, Auto Club Speedway: Jimmie Johnson (Win No. 104 for Hendrick Motorsports) (Add picture)
In 2002, Jimmie Johnson was in his first full-time season in the Cup Series. In his 13th start in the sport's top series, the El Cajon, California, native claimed his first victory and in his home state nonetheless at Auto Club Speedway. Johnson had been battling Kurt Busch for the lead when a caution flew with 21 laps to go. In the pits, crew chief Chad Knaus called for a fuel-only stop, giving Johnson the track position needed to get ahead. The move set him up for the triumph and marked the inaugural win in the legendary partnership of Johnson and Knaus, a pairing that is set to go into the NASCAR Hall of Fame later this month.
RELATED: Knaus, Johnson elected to NASCAR Hall of Fame
Aug. 31, 2003, Darlington: Labonte (Win No. 114 for Hendrick Motorsports)
This would be the 22nd and final time that Labonte would reach victory lane in his Hall of Fame career. It would be a fitting bookend as his first win came at Darlington in 1980. Rolling off in the third position, the No. 5 Chevrolet stuck around with the leaders and capitalized on a late-race caution with 34 laps to go, thanks to a blinding fast pit stop under the yellow flag. By the time the race restarted with 30 to go, Labonte was now the race leader and pulled away from the competition to add another crown jewel victory to his record. When you visit the museum, you’ll find the Southern 500 trophy and winning car to be inseparable on display.
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Feb. 20, 2005, Daytona: Gordon (Win No. 131 for Hendrick Motorsports)
At the close of 2004, Gordon and the No. 24 team narrowly missed out on a fifth championship by 16 points. For 2005, they were determined to get off to a hot start at the season-opening DAYTONA 500. After leading laps in the early running, Gordon fluctuated throughout the pack as the race continued, staying within striking distance of the top spot. When a flurry of late-race yellow flags continued to bunch the field up, the Hendrick-owned cars of Gordon and Johnson, aided by the help of the Hendrick Motorsports engine shop, drafted as a team to take the top spot away from future teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. before the race’s final caution was deployed with five laps remaining. On the green-white-checkered finish, the No. 24 entry held off two lanes of desperate drivers to take home his third DAYTONA 500 crown and the fifth victory of “The Great American Race” for Hendrick.
PHOTOS: See every DAYTONA 500 win in the history of Hendrick Motorsports
Check back later this week for a look at the remaining eight winning cars featured in "NASCAR Classics" races that are also housed at the Hendrick Motorsports Museum.