Rick Hendrick
FILE - In this Jan. 29, 2011, file photo, Jimmie Johnson signs autographs for fans prior to the Grand Am Rolex 24 hour auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Johnson will race the Rolex 24 at Daytona for the first time since 2011 in January. The seven-time NASCAR champion will be paired with Simon Pagenaud, Kamui Kobayashi, and Mike Rockenfeller in the IMSA sports car race that is considered the unofficial opener of the racing season. (AP Photo/David Graham, File)
Johnson part of all-star Action Express lineup for Rolex 24

By Jenna Fryer Dec. 04, 2020 05:23 PM EST

FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2019, file photo, driver B.J. McLeod, waits to get into their cars before qualifying for the NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race in Dover, Del. NASCAR will have another new team in 2021 — bringing the total to three new ownership groups in the Cup Series — with the formation of Live Fast Motorsports. The team formally announced Friday, Nov. 20, 2020, is owned by drivers Matt Tifft and B.J. McLeod. (AP Photo/Brien Aho, File)
Live Fast Motorsports becomes 3rd new NASCAR team for 2021

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 20, 2020 02:13 PM EST

Ganassi to return to IMSA sports car racing with Cadillac

Nov. 16, 2020 09:52 AM EST
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Chip Ganassi Racing will return to IMSA sports car competition next season with Cadillac in the Daytona Prototype international class. ...

FILE - In this Feb, 8, 2020, file photo, Kyle Larson climbs into his car as he gets ready for a NASCAR auto race practice at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Fla. Despite being suspended for six months for the use of a racial slur, Kyle Larson remains a popular figure in dirt track racing. (AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)
Larson still popular on dirt tracks, despite racial slur

By Steve Reed Nov. 10, 2020 03:25 PM EST

Jimmie Johnson (48) pulls up next to Chase Elliott (9) in Turn 4 following Elliott's season championship victory in the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Column: NASCAR closes stabilized, and energized by Elliott

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 09, 2020 01:45 PM EST

Chase Elliott celebrates at the finish line after winning the season championship and a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Elliott drives from back of the field to first NASCAR title

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 08, 2020 03:36 PM EST

FILE - In this May 19, 2012, file photo, crew chief Chad Knaus, left, reacts with Jimmie Johnson after Johnson won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star auto race in Concord, N.C. Chad Knaus will move off the pit stand and into a management role with Hendrick Motorsports, ending his crew chief career after seven championships. Hendrick on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, announced Knaus will move to vice president of competition. (AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)
Johnson and Knaus, NASCAR's 7-time champions, exit together

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 07, 2020 04:23 PM EST

Grant Enfinger makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Truck Series auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix

Nov. 06, 2020 09:05 PM EST

Jimmie Johnson drives past a banner on the wall at the entrance of turn three during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn. NASCAR's nicest guy will run his final race this week and close a remarkable career. Jimmie Johnson's record-tying seven Cup titles are well celebrated, but his charitable work goes less noticed. The Jimmie Johnson Foundation has donated more than $12 million to schools and programs since it launched. (David Crigger/Bristol Herald Courier via AP)
Jimmie Johnson leaves indelible mark on and off race track

By Jenna Fryer Nov. 06, 2020 05:54 PM EST

FILE - In this Feb. 15, 2019, file photo, Kyle Larson gets into his car during Daytona 500 auto race practice at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Reinstated last week by NASCAR, Larson on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020, signed a multi-year contract with Hendrick Motorsports to drive the No. 5 Chevrolet next season. Hendrick has sold no sponsorship as of yet for Larson and only needed the blessing of Chevrolet, one of the partners that originally dropped Larson for using the n-word, to finalize the deal. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
Rick Hendrick eyeing balanced, stronger 2021 NASCAR season

By Jenna Fryer Oct. 29, 2020 03:02 PM EDT

FILE - In this Feb, 8, 2020, file photo, Kyle Larson climbs into his car as he gets ready for a NASCAR auto race practice at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Fla. Larson will be back in NASCAR next season driving the flagship No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Larson signed a multi-year contract Wednesday morning, Oct. 28, 2020, with Hendrick that ended his seven-month banishment from NASCAR for using a racial slur while playing an online racing game. (AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)
Hendrick hires banished Kyle Larson to drive flagship No. 5

By Jenna Fryer Oct. 28, 2020 11:46 AM EDT

Hendrick plucks champion Truck Series crew chief for No. 24

By Jenna Fryer Oct. 26, 2020 11:25 AM EDT
Hendrick Motorsports plucked crew chief Rudy Fugle away from Kyle Busch Motorsports on Monday to lead William Byron next season in the Cup Series. ...

Jimmie Johnson, left, speaks about joining the team of Chip Ganassi, right, for the IndyCar series at a press conference during the IndyCar race weekend Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)
Johnson jump-starts IndyCar move with online auto retailer

By Jenna Fryer Oct. 24, 2020 01:46 PM EDT

FILE - In this Sunday, May 17, 2020, file photo, Jimmie Johnson (48) and Alex Bowman (88) come down a straightaway during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race in Darlington, S.C. The most coveted seat in NASCAR went to Alex Bowman in a Hendrick Motorsports lineup shuffle to replace seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson in the iconic No. 48 Chevrolet. Bowman and crew chief Greg Ives will move from the No. 88 into Johnson's ride at the end of the season. The swap announced Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020, makes Bowman just the second driver of the team created in 2001 specifically for Johnson.(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File
Bowman looks to establish his own legacy in iconic No. 48

By Jenna Fryer Oct. 07, 2020 02:33 AM EDT

Alex Bowman, left, Chase Elliott, center, and Denny Hamlin listen to the national anthem before the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Alex Bowman shuffled to the No. 48 to replace Jimmie Johnson

By Jenna Fryer Oct. 06, 2020 03:46 PM EDT

FILE - In this Feb. 9, 2020, file photo, Erik Jones celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Busch Clash auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. The pandemic only accelerated the inevitable: The driver market bubble, pushed to its limit with multi-million dollar salaries for nearly two decades, is about to burst. A major reset has arrived and team owners have all the power. They can pick and choose between drivers who bring sponsorship dollars (Bubba Wallace) or drivers who have won races (Erik Jones). (AP Photo/John Raoux, FIlre)
NASCAR Cup Series at Daytona

Sep. 21, 2020 09:35 PM EDT

Alex Bowman, left, Chase Elliott, center, and Denny Hamlin listen to the national anthem before the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Column: NASCAR's dizzying silly season will change landscape

By Jenna Fryer Sep. 21, 2020 09:34 PM EDT

FILE - In this Feb. 16, 2020 file photo Jimmie Johnson climbs intp his car before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. NASCAR seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson will test an Indy car next week on the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He’s long said he is open to racing in the series but did not want to compete on ovals out of safety concerns. On Friday, July 3, 2020, he indicated recent safety improvements have softened his stance and the Indianapolis 500 is not entirely out of the picture.(AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
Jimmie Johnson 1st NASCAR driver to test positive for virus

By Jenna Fryer Jul. 03, 2020 03:22 PM EDT

FILE - In this Sept. 2, 2016, file photo, empty grandstands are shown at Darlington Raceway after bad weather forced NSACAR to call off Friday, Sept. 2, 2016, in Darlington, S.C. Bad weather forced NASCAR to call off qualifying for the Sprint Cup and XFinity series auto races. NASCAR will have a much different feel when it resumes this weekend as the two-man broadcast team for Fox will not travel to Darlington Raceway and instead call the race from a studio in Charlotte.(AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)
NASCAR picks up at tricky Darlington after 10-week hiatus

By Jenna Fryer May. 16, 2020 02:08 PM EDT

FILE - In this July 20, 2018, file photo, NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson signs an autograph for a fan wearing a Martin Truex Jr. shirt before auto racing practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H. Kyle Larson was fired Tuesday, April 14, 2020, by Chip Ganassi Racing, a day after nearly every one of his sponsors dropped the star driver for using a racial slur during a live stream of a virtual race. Larson, in his seventh Cup season with Ganassi and considered the top free agent in NASCAR mere weeks ago, is now stunningly out of a job in what could ultimately be an eight-figure blunder by the star. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm, File)
NASCAR's Larson fired after sponsors walk over N-word slur

By Jenna Fryer Apr. 14, 2020 11:15 AM EDT