Rick Hendrick’s deep involvement in all forms of racing have him entering four cars in NASCAR’s premier Cup Series and gaining championships on a fairly regular basis, most recently with Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, the latter being NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver.
Mr Hendrick’s Hendrick Automotive Group, the US’s largest privately-held auto retailer, placed key sponsorship on the one of two NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Pro Stock six-time champions, Greg Anderson and was rewarded when that driver, piloting a Chevrolet from KB Titan Racing, took his HendrickCars.com car to a sixth title in the 2024 season finale at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in November. Anderson and John Force are the only professional NHRA drivers to have won at least 100 tour events.
Now the Charlotte, North Carolina-based businessman is taking a firm leap into the nitro ranks. While John Force Racing’s two-time Top Fuel champion Brittany Force had the HendrickCars.com red, white and blue wrap on her rail a few times in her tough 2024 campaign, Mr Hendrick’s participation is growing this year, extending its partnership with John Force Racing and its three World Championship-winning drivers: Brittany Force, reigning 2024 Funny Car champ Austin Prock and 2012 titleholder Jack Beckman, driving in support of injured John Force.
Primary sponsorship for Brittany Force will take place at both zMAX Dragway four-wide contests this year, the first in April and the second race of NHRA’s Countdown to the Championship in September. Force, the first woman to win a four-wide race, will also have www.HendrickCars.com as a major associate sponsor on her dragster for the remaining 18 events on the 2025 calendar. “I’m honored to be teamed up once again with HendrickCars.com,” Brittany Force said, “and we’re looking forward to celebrating a victory in their hometown.”
HendrickCars.com serves as a major associate sponsor on 29-year-old Prock’s Chevrolet SS as he attempts back-to-back championships this year and will be an associate sponsor on Beckman’s car, driven on behalf of JFR founder and CEO John Force, who expressed his views on the partnership: “It’s a honor ad a pleasure to work with Rick Hendrick and HendrickCars.com on this partnership,” John Force said. “I’ve known Rick a long time. He sets the standard when it comes to excellence and success i motorsports. I’m excited for my daughter and hope our teams can bring home a few ‘Wally’ winner’s trophies for HendrickCars.com.”
While Mr Hendrick is best known for his NASCAR success, where Hendrick Motorsports drivers have earned a record 312 victories and 14 Cup Series championships, he traces his competitive roots to drag racing. “I’ve had a lifelong passion for drag racing,” Mr Hendrick revealed. “It’s how I first fell in love with motor sports, going to the local dragstrip with my dad. I’ve been a fan of John and his family for a long time, ad our company is proud to partner with everyone at John Force Racing. They’re terrific representatives of HendrickCars.com and we look forward to another exciting season.”
Both the three John Force Racing cars for Force, Beckman and Prock will be on-site next week, February 6-8, for the second annual PRO Superstar Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park in the Florida city of the same name, as will Greg Anderson. Prock won the Funny Car title in that race and then went on to win the championship, his first pro title in drag racing.
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