The super-sophisticated race shops of NASCAR's top teams are in stark contrast with the good-old-boy legends of race cars once built in a barn.
CONCORD, NC – Cabarrus County, in south-central North Carolina, was founded way back in 1792. At 946 square kilometres with a population of only 178,000 it wouldn't seem very significant in this massive country that is the U.S. of A. But it is a giant in one very important area. The motto of the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) says it all – “Cabarrus County – Where Racing Lives”.
More than 90% of the race teams involved in NASCAR are based here and the rest are within a 20-minute drive into adjacent counties. But the racing businesses centred here and nearby reach far beyond NASCAR. Haas Engineering is basing its foray into Formula I here; the engineers at Pratt and Miller do much of their LeMans work nearby; and Roush/Yates engines used in various race series around the world come from here.
Street signs and businesses scattered throughout this city and surrounding area bear names familiar to race fans: Earnhardt, Hendrick, Petty, Roush etc. There's even a statue of Dale Earnhardt. Charlotte Motor Speedway is just down the street from the CVB offices where the friendly and knowledgeable staff are anxious to help race fans with information, maps and directions.
Most of the NASCAR teams invite fans to visit with welcome centres, displays souvenirs and in most cases, the ability to watch the teams in action as they prepare cars for upcoming races. So let’s take a tour of some of the racing facilities in the area, including a couple just over the “border” in an adjacent county.
The 1.5-mile high-banked track called Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) is the jewel of NASCAR tracks and has set the standard for motorsport entertainment. It is also the home of a 2.25-mile road course, a half-mile dirt track, a kart track and the zMAX Dragway – the only four-lane all concrete drag racing facility in the world. The speedway hosts three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races, two Nationwide Series races, a Camping World Truck Series race and numerous regional and national events at others levels each year. It also presents three of the largest car shows and swap meets in the U.S.in April, August And October.
CMS has seating for 134,000 and 113 executive suites. It became the first modern speedway to host night racing in 1992. In the spring of 2006 the entire surface was repaved, requiring more than 10,000 tons of asphalt. During a typical race weekend fans consume more than 34,000 slices of pizza, 4,000 metres of hot dogs, 43,000 litres of pop and water and 140,000 kilos of ice. CMA is only a few minutes away from Concord and the visitors' bureau.
Chip Ganassi has been involved with top-level racing for more than 30 years. Along with two entries in the Sprint Cup series, Chip Ganassi Racing has four cars in the Indy Car series and one prototype in the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship series. The teams have a total of 17 championships and more than 150 victories including the Indy 500 (four times), Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and the Rolex 24-hours at Daytona (six times).
This state-of-the-art facility houses the Ganassi’s NASCAR efforts – the Sprint Cup teams of Jamie McMurray in the No. 1 and Kyle Larson in the No. 42 Chevrolets using Hendrick engines. McMurray has raced in all three of NASCAR’s top series, winning both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in 2010. That was a big year for Chip Ganassi Racing as it won the two big NASCAR events as well as the Indy 500 that year.
This state-of-the-art facility houses the Ganassi’s NASCAR efforts – the Sprint Cup teams of Jamie McMurray in the No. 1 and Kyle Larson in the No. 42 Chevrolets using Hendrick engines. McMurray has raced in all three of NASCAR’s top series, winning both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 in 2010. That was a big year for Chip Ganassi Racing as it won the two big NASCAR events as well as the Indy 500 that year. Kyle Larson was NASCAR’s Rookie Of The Year in 2013 and the first NASCAR Drive For Diversity graduate to run the full Sprint Cup schedule. This shot was taken while the teams were in Las Vegas, explaining the empty slots.
The entrance to Hendrick Motorsport is the first hint at the scale of this massive enterprise. On the way to this entrance, located less than two kilometres from Charlotte Motor Speedway, you pass a variety of dealerships bearing the Hendrick name. After success in the drag boat racing world, Rick Hendrick founded All-Star Racing in 1984 with a single NASCAR team for Geoff Bodine, five full-time employees and 5,000 square feet of leased workspace. It now has more than 500 full-time employees, 430,000 square feet of space in a vast array of buildings on its 100-plus acre Concord “campus”.
The Hendrick operation has become known for state-of-the-art engineering and cutting-edge equipment. The in-house engineering group plays a key role in the teams’ success on and off the track. Haas CNC (Computer Numeric Control) machines located here produce engine parts and various, chassis elements. This is where the finish machine work is done on cylinder head, intake manifold and piston castings.
Hendrick Motorsports engine department builds and/or rebuilds more than 700 engines a year. These potent V8s power not only the team’s four entries but are used by several other team as well. When an engine is returns here after a race it is subjected to a thorough analysis. If any problem cropped up during the race or is identified during the post-race tear-down, the engineers try to identify the problem component(s), prepare an in-depth write-up and photograph all related parts. All files and records from the engineering and engine development departments are maintained in a “product lifestyle” management software system. These record are accessible to the engine department and various crews at tracks around the world via the team’s wireless network.
All files and records from the engineering and engine development departments are maintained here in a “product lifestyle” management software system. These record are accessible to the engine department and various crews at tracks around the world via the team’s wireless network.
Rick Hendrick, born in Virginia in July, 1949, set records at a local drag strip at the age of 14 in a 1931 Chevrolet. He was general manager of a new car dealership at the age of 23 and bought his first franchise in 1976 becoming the youngest Chevrolet dealer in America. Today the Hendrick Automotive Group encompasses more than 100 dealerships with 7,000 employees in 12 states, generating more than $5 billion in year selling more than 120,000 vehicles. Rick Hendrick’s extensive private car collection is housed here at the 58,000 square foot Hendrick Performance centre. The “Heritage Centre” in this same building, houses more than 100 of the finest and rarest examples of American muscle cars.
Visitors are welcome at Hendrick Motorsport. The four teams are housed in two separate buildings, each with a museum, array of trophies and viewing area. Here you can watch the teams working on vehicles being prepared for the next and subsequent races, different vehicles for each type of track from road courses to short ovals like Martinsville to the big ones like Talladega.
Hendrick Motorsports fields NASCAR Sprint Cup teams for Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne. It holds a record 14 titles across the three NASCAR series, including 11 Sprint Cup Series Championships. This building houses the teams Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne, while those for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson occupy a separate, similar shop.
Jeff Gordon, who drives the #24 car, started at the highest level of NASCAR racing in 1993. He is a four-time series champion, has won the Daytona 500 three times and is in his final year of racing. Currently he's in third place on the all-time NASCAR Cup wins list with 92 wins, earning more than $100 million in the process. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the son of Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Sr. The driver of the #88 is oft-voted the sports favorite driver by fans. Johnson, a California native has six Sprint Cup Championships to his name at the wheel of the #48 Chevrolet. Kahne, born in 1980, drives the #5 Chevrolet for Hendrick, his fourth year with the team.
Joe Gibbs Racing was launched in 1991 by the former head coach of the NFL’s Washington Redskins where he led the team to four NFL Championships and three Super Bowl wins in four appearances. He is in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame. “Coach” Gibbs, born in North Carolina in 1940, entered NASCAR in 1991 and fielded cars for the first time in 1992. The team’s first win came a year later when Dal Jarrett won the Daytona 500. Since then the team has claimed three Cup titles. It expanded to three teams in 2006 and this year grows to four teams. Overseeing that expansion has been the responsibility of J. D. Gibbs, Coach’s son.
Based in Huntersville, North Carolina, a 15-minute drive down the freeway from Concord, the JGR shops encompass 250,00 square feet and more than 500 employees. JGR fields Toyota Camry Cup cars for Carl Edwards, #19; Kyle Busch, #18; Denny Hamlin, #11 and Matt Kenseth, #20. Edwards has 23 Cup wins, Hamlin, 24; Busch 29 and Kenseth, 31.
The raised viewing area, among the many welcoming elements of the JGR Shops provides an excellent opportunity to see the teams in action. Cars being prepped here include those for both the Sprint Cup and Xfinity series where JGR fields teams for Daniel Suarez, Erik Jones and Deny Hamlin. JGR also has a large visitor centre and gift shop area.
Here a technician is applying the “wrap” to the #18 Cup car. It is becoming more common for teams to change the appearance of the cars at various times during the year, for reasons related to sponsorship and/or special events. Using these giant wraps saves time and improves aerodynamics compared to painting the car, applying decals and then applying a clear coat of paint over the top.
One of the more respected men in the series, Jack Roush is the founder, co-owner and CEO of Roush-Fenway Racing. He put his Masters Degree in Scientific Mathematics to work at Ford Motor Company and Chrysler before leaving to form his own engineering consulting company. His various companies now employ more than 2,000 people around the world. His speciality became engine development and squeezing more power from Ford engines than others. He was successful in various drag racing series and a variety of road racing series globally in partnership with Ford. The “Cat in the Hat” as he is known for his trademark Panama hat, moved south and founded a Sprint Cup team in 1988.
This is the company’s 27th year in NASCAR and with more than 315 wins in the three top series, Roush-Fenway is the winningest team in NASCAR. Much of the many facetted Roush racing business is located in Cabarrus County. Roush Fenway fields Fords for Trevor Bayne, #6; Greg Biffle, #16 and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., #17.
Visitors will see the car of ARCA series driver Todd Kluever after it had flipped and barrel-rolled at Daytona. The driver walked away and the display shows the safety and durability of the Roush-constructed chassis. The visitors centre also shows Jack Roush's evolution from drag racer to Trans Am Series to NASCAR with an assortment of trophies and actual race cars from the past and present. There is also a 100-seat theatre and a retail store.
Jack Roush is perhaps best-known for his engine development and building prowess, so it comes as no surprise engines are featured in the visitors display area. Fiercely loyal to Ford, his companies have developed a series of parts and vehicles in addition to high performance crate engines. More than 16,000 Mustangs with Roush engines are on the road.
The partnership between every man’s racer and three-time Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart and industrial entrepreneur Gene Hass, Stewart-Haas Racing fields Chevrolets for Stewart, #14; Danica Patrick, #10; Kevin Harvick, #4 and Kurt Busch, #41. Stewart is known for his desire to race anything, anywhere. Haas owns the largest CNC machine tool building business in the western world.
The team operates out of this 140,000-square-foot facility with 250 employees. The welcome centre has an array of cars in front of the glass wall where visitors can see work in progress. Like all of these race shops, the working area is spotless with excellent lighting and working conditions.
Across the visitors' parking lot, a new building nears completion that will house the Haas Formula One effort. Lots of security here!
At the other end of the spectrum from the Hendrick operations, is that of the famed Wood Brothers. As the oldest continuously operating NASCAR Sprint Cup team, the legendary Wood Brothers Racing team is in its 65th year of competition. Founded in 1949 by Brothers Glen and Leonard Wood. The team’s last full-time season was in 2006. Brothers Len And Eddie Wood carry on the tradition this year with the #21 car of Ryan Blaney operating out of the Roush Fenway operation.
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