CONCORD, N.C. — After months of wondering when any Hendrick Motorsports car would win again, NASCAR’s powerhouse program is on a major roll heading into the Coca-Cola 600.
Five-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson broke a 16-race victory drought this month at Darlington Raceway for Hendrick Motorsports’ 200th win, then won the all-star race Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Throw in a Sprint Showdown victory by Hendrick driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and a win in the Pit Crew Challenge by Johnson’s No. 48 team and it’s a nonstop party for owner Rick Hendrick.
“The company,” Johnson said Thursday, “is still on a high from the 200th win, and the all-star win just kicked it up another notch.”
Johnson collected the program’s 199th win last October at Kansas as he chased a sixth straight championship. But Johnson came up short of the title, losing to Tony Stewart. None of Hendrick’s high-power drivers — four-time champion Jeff Gordon, Earnhardt and Kasey Kahne are Johnson’s teammates — could break through this season until Johnson took the checkered flag at Darlington and touched off a party that hasn’t stopped.
“Things have been pretty good,” said Kahne, 16th in drivers’ points. “Then after Jimmie won that 200th, that got everybody even more excited.”
Johnson doesn’t see why that can’t continue Sunday night in the Coca-Cola 600. He qualified third behind the Richard Petty Motorsports duo of Aric Amirola and Marcos Ambrose. Kahne qualified seventh, Earnhardt 12th and Gordon 23rd.
Johnson has won nine times at the 1.5-mile track, three 600s, three of the 500-mile fall races and three all-star events.
“We are excited to get on the track today and through the course of the weekend,” Johnson said. “We feel like we will be a threat to win.”
And giving Hendrick even more to celebrate.
This week, the car owner hosted a party in Charlotte headlined by country music superstar Brad Paisley.
“You know, you need to stop and celebrate something like this because they don’t come along too often,” Hendrick said.
