The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season has been an eventful one for Hendrick Motorsports. After a strong start to the year, the team found itself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons on Friday when NASCAR took the hood louvers from all four Hendrick cars. NASCAR stated that it took the Hendrick hood louvers for further evaluation this week at the R&D Center in Concord, North Carolina, and that any penalties to the team could come this week.
The concern for Hendrick Motorsports is that in this era of single-sourced parts, NASCAR has increased the penalties for modifications to those parts without prior approval granted. Such a penalty could include some or all of the following: a loss of points for the driver and/or team owner, a loss of playoff points for the driver and/or team owner, a suspension for particular crewmembers, a fine.
But despite the potential penalties looming over the team’s head, the drivers and crew members of Hendrick Motorsports were able to put the matter to the side and focus on Sunday’s race at Phoenix Raceway. William Byron scored his second consecutive victory, and all four Hendrick cars finished in the top 10.
Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon said that the team had been in contact with NASCAR about the hood louvers and that they had “some conversation” and “will continue to have conversations.” He also said that “every situation is sort of unique,” but that this one was “more unique than I’ve seen in a while.”
Byron’s crew chief, Rudy Fugle, credited the organization’s focus for not letting the hood louver matter disrupt their weekend preparations. He said it was “a test of mental strength” and that “we have to focus on this weekend. That’s what we all did.”
With the victory, Hendrick Motorsports has proven that it is still a force to be reckoned with despite the potential penalties the team could face. Gordon said that the team’s strong performance was a result of their hard work and teamwork, and not because of the confiscated parts.
It remains to be seen what the final outcome of this situation will be. In the meantime, Hendrick Motorsports will continue to focus on what they do best: winning races.
