Hendrick Motorsports

CONCORD, N.C. (May 8, 2008) - Check out Rick Hendrick’s first Chevrolet. Watch a dissected Impala SS “Car of Tomorrow” being pieced together. See the cars and memorabilia of Casey Mears, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

These are just a few things visitors can do now that Hendrick Motorsports has reopened its museum. The 15,000-square-foot facility, which was closed the last four months for renovations, pays tribute to nearly 25 seasons of Hendrick Motorsports history and offers fans the latest in team-related apparel and merchandise. Admission to the museum is free of charge.

“We are extremely proud of this museum, and we hope our fans will enjoy it,” team owner Rick Hendrick said. “We’ve had a lot of success and a lot of special moments over the years, and it’s humbling to reflect on that. But the one thing we always keep in mind is that it wouldn’t be possible without our fans’ support.”

Throughout the year, the museum will exhibit a rotating stable of famous Chevrolets—such as an original All-Star Racing entry, multiple Daytona 500 champions and the inaugural Brickyard 400 winner. Featured currently are cars driven by Geoff Bodine, Tim Richmond, Ken Schrader and Ricky Hendrick, among others. Visitors will be met at the entrance by the Monte Carlo SS that Johnson drove at Homestead-Miami Speedway to clinch the 2007 Sprint Cup Series title.

Highlighted by Hendrick’s 11 NASCAR championships, the museum will showcase significant memorabilia from nearly three decades of competition. Unique items on display include dozens of trophies collected over the years by Hendrick’s teams, a “Days of Thunder” movie manuscript and personal notes from actor Tom Cruise to Rick Hendrick.

The facility, which first opened its doors in October 1995, blends the company’s past with its present in cutting-edge ways. Notably, visitors can check out the No. 48 “war wagon” used during the team’s 2006 championship season, get up close and personal with a Chevrolet R07 engine, sit in a carbon-fiber racing seat, and see how pieces of an Impala SS come together in a one-of-a-kind automated exhibit. Flat-panel televisions throughout the museum feature original content.

To complete their Hendrick Motorsports experience, fans can check out the race shops, which also are open to the public and feature the Nos. 5, 24, 48 and 88 Sprint Cup teams of Mears, Gordon, Johnson and Earnhardt. There, fans can watch crew members work on this season’s cars and see even more from the organization’s storied past.

The Hendrick Motorsports museum is open to the public from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Visitors can find special announcements, extended race-week hours, driving directions and additional information related to the museum at www.HendrickMotorsports.com.