CONCORD, N.C. – As the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season hits the halfway point, Hendrick Motorsports continues to display its dominance over the rest of the field, securing 1-2 finishes in four of the last five points-paying races this season.
Chad Knaus, vice president of competition at Hendrick Motorsports, stepped into his role in after coming off the pit box as a crew chief at the end of the 2020 season. Since his promotion, he has helped the team break the Cup Series’ all-time wins record set by Petty Enterprises, oversaw the organization’s first 1-2-3-4 finish, and aided in giving Team Chevy its 800th win.
“It’s an honor to be sitting in this seat,” Knaus said. “A lot of great folks have had this role before and have done great jobs, and I am glad to be here and contribute to the success of the company. Being a part of the leadership group at Hendrick Motorsports is an honor, obviously. But working with these great crew chiefs and drivers and teams, that’s what is really special.”
So far, the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers have racked up eight wins, 29 top-five finishes, 44 top-10s and 14 stage wins through the first 17 races of the Cup Series season. Each driver has at least one win to his name, essentially ensuring that the entire Hendrick Motorsports fleet has a spot in the playoffs this year.
“I think it’s a testament to the hard work and effort by everyone at Hendrick Motorsports,” Knaus said. “We have a really good foundation, and we are able to provide the teams and the drivers to make sound decisions.”
Since May 9, Hendrick Motorsports has won every NASCAR Cup Series race they have been in, including the non-points paying All-Star Race on June 13 where Kyle Larson cashed the $1 million prize. Larson’s three wins in a row plus Chase Elliott’s win at Circuit of the Americas and Alex Bowman’s victory at Dover International Speedway has given the organization five wins in a row. A win at Pocono Raceway on Saturday will tie Rick Hendrick’s team with it’s longest consecutive win streak (six).
“We have amazing race car drivers, we’ve got great crew chiefs, we’ve got great pit crews, and these guys have been working really hard for a long time to get the ship righted at Hendrick Motorsports,” Knaus said.
Be sure to tune in this weekend as the Hendrick Motorsports teammates look to continue their win streak with a doubleheader at Pocono. The first race at ‘The Tricky Triangle’ will be Saturday, June 26 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The second race will take place Sunday, June 27 at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.