Inside Hendrick Motorsports’ new facility focused on NASCAR pit crews, wellness

Competitiveness and longevity are two words that catch Rick Hendrick’s ear, both in life and on the track.

With Hendrick Motorsports having won 15 Cup Series championships, its list of driver success stories runs as long as the Daytona backstretch. But Hendrick understands that greatness isn’t possible on the track — or in his backyard — without the greatness of others.

That’s why Hendrick Motorsports and Atrium Health partnered to design the Atrium Health Motorsports Athletic Center, which opened its doors Thursday afternoon. The ribbon-cutting ceremony featured a panel of speakers, headlined by Hendrick, four-time Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, and Gene Woods. CEO of Advocate Health, of which Atrium Health is a part.

The 35,000-square-foot facility was designed to support its pit crew athletes and provide additional health and wellness resources for its Charlotte-based teammates.

Featuring a purpose-built gym containing the latest training equipment, an operations center for race-day pit crews, athletic meeting and film rooms, dedicated spaces for clinical treatment and guidance, physical therapy, hydrotherapy, recovery, and rehabilitation, the athletic center was built for one of those two words — competitiveness.

Oh, and it features an on-campus barber shop that Hendrick would be the first to use.

“Just clean him up, go safe on that (haircut),” Gordon joked.

Hendrick shared a story about legendary crew chief Ray Evernham instructing his pit crew to run wind sprints to get in shape — something that wasn’t common practice in the 1980s.

“What in the world is this? Why are these guys running? Ray had these young athletes, and I had never seen anything like it,” Hendrick said of Evernham. “Our guys had big tummies, smoking cigarettes down on one knee. That was the way that pit crews went.”

Hendrick noted the effectiveness of Evernham’s drills, dominating the battle on pit road and moving to the front on the margins. It completely changed the team’s approach.

“We started recruiting (pit crew staff), and this is where it is today. Everybody picked up on it, and a lot of competition. If you want the best, you’ve got to recruit them, and they’ve got to come to a facility that’s familiar,” Hendrick said.

Beyond the weight room

With more than 30 years passing since Gordon’s first Cup championship, the concept remains the same, but the technology, safety features, and preventative care are worlds ahead — both on the track and in the pits.

“You realize just how much this is a team sport and how everyone has to be working in sync and to have the best resources to go out and do your job,” Gordon told The Charlotte Observer. “To me, this is a facility that goes back through the history of Hendrick Motorsports and what it takes to continue pushing that team effort in every aspect.

“It’s more than just weight equipment. It’s the data analysis and how we’re monitoring the pit crews and being able to watch live pit stops happen at the racetrack,” Gordon continued. “I know how important that pit crew was back in 1995 to winning (my) first championship, but today, I think these guys that are sitting here will tell you that it is a key aspect of winning races and winning championships. And we want to do that — way past 15.”

With all four of Hendrick’s Cup Series drivers in attendance, defending champion Kyle Larson and 2020 champion Chase Elliott shared Gordon’s sentiment.

“I’d love to be able to get in here and do some recovery stuff. With the facility and all the resources they have to offer here, we’d be foolish not to come in here and utilize them,” Larson said. “I’m looking forward to getting more into the recovery and preventative care. Racing is racing, but it is a lot of wear and tear on your neck and joints.”

“From a pit crew aspect, I think those guys are really excited for all of it. It’s the recovery aspect too, because the season wears on them a lot,” Elliott said. “I definitely hurt more today than I did 10 years ago today on Mondays, so there’s potential that this facility can alleviate some of that.”

NASCAR is recruiting, too

If you look down pit road today, you won’t find many — if any — “big tummies.” You will see plenty of former college athletes ready to jack up the car, change the tires, fill the gas tank, and make any required adjustments in 10 seconds or less.

And much like today’s college sports, NASCAR teams are on the recruiting trail to compete for championships, according to Larson’s crew chief, Cliff Daniels.

“Recruiting will be impactful. In the competitive world, you’ve got to set yourself apart, and this is certainly a big benchmark on the pit athlete’s side,” said Daniels. “We’re going after the talented athletes that may not pursue a football or wrestling career. Hopefully, it can be racing, and we can train those guys to pit racecars at a really high level.

“Hopefully, we see the effects (of the new facility) immediately,” Daniels continued. “I think there’s going to be a lot of medium and long-term effects with folks getting the care, conditioning, and recovery, that hopefully the lifespan of our starter athletes can be longer.”

As Larson and Daniels prepare to defend their Cup Series title, which marked No. 15 for Hendrick Motorsports, the longevity aspect weighs on Hendrick.

“I’ve been through rehab with my arm, shoulder, and my knee. This facility means a lot to me. But what’s going on in Charlotte with The Pearl and medical school, and everything that Gene (Woods) has brought to Charlotte is really special,” Hendrick said. “And now we’ve been able to put all of that together to put a world-class facility here for our athletes. Having the people to support them when they’re injured is the most important.”

This story was originally published January 23, 2026 at 5:00 AM.