Chase Elliott & Rick Hendrick Pay Tribute to HMS Legend as $3B Partner Extends Support

In the hallowed halls of NASCAR history, few moments capture the spirit of breakthrough quite like Ken Schrader’s triumphant 1-2 finish at Talladega Superspeedway on July 31, 1988. On that pivotal day, Hendrick Motorsports wasn’t just racing; they were rewriting the sport’s narrative. Ken Schrader, driving the No. 25 Chevrolet, clinched victory alongside teammate Geoff Bodine, edging out racing legend Dale Earnhardt in a moment that would forever define the team’s competitive spirit.

This legacy of innovation and persistence continues to pulse through the veins of Hendrick Motorsports, now manifesting in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series with UniFirst’s bold new paint scheme. The team that started as a single-car operation in 1984 has grown into a motorsports powerhouse. But despite their meteoric rise as the winningest team in the sport, HSM never lost the track of the drivers and personalities that helped them reach where they are today. And that is evident from their latest gesture to honor Schrader’s contribution with a throwback scheme at Darlington.

The 2025 season marks a significant milestone, with the UniFirst No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 capturing the essence of both modern branding and racing tradition. Driven by 2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott, the car features a vibrant green and gray palette, adorned with UniFirst’s iconic “U-Mark” – a symbol of unbeatable service that echoes the pioneering spirit of early Hendrick drivers like Schrader. Last year, HMS rolled out an eye-catching Terry Labonte scheme with the No. 5 at Darlington Raceway, and with this latest announcement, they are going to continue with this theme this year as well.

“The UniFirst No. 9 Chevrolet is a powerful representation of our brand’s growth and energy,” said David Katz, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at UniFirst. “This bold design mirrors UniFirst’s focus on quality and commitment to service excellence. We’re thrilled to see it on the track in Miami and can’t wait for fans to experience the excitement throughout the season.” This isn’t just a paint scheme; it’s a rolling testament to corporate evolution and motorsports passion.

The racing schedule tells a story of continued commitment: five strategic appearances in 2025, starting on March 23 at Homestead-Miami Speedway and concluding on October 5 at Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. Each race is an opportunity to honor the team’s rich history while pushing forward into new competitive territories. It is important to note that this year marks a 10-year partnership between Hendrick Motorsports and Uni-First. And they are celebrating this milestone with a throwback scheme honoring Ken Schrader’s racing legacy.

The main strength of this story rests in its human element over basic statistics and corporate alliances. Since 1988, when Ken Schrader achieved his breakthrough at Hendrick Motorsports, the team has become a continuous force of American racing innovation, leading to Chase Elliott’s championship-caliber racing today.

At Darlington, viewers will experience an authentic representation of NASCAR’s longest-lasting heritage which combines both fast-paced performance and strategic determination with absolute commitment to triumphant excellence.

Ken Schrader’s Unexpected Journey From Donlavey’s Underdogs to Hendrick’s Powerhouse

For Ken Schrader, the journey to racing immortality was never a calculated path, but a series of serendipitous moments that transformed him into a pivotal figure at Hendrick Motorsports. When Junie Donlavey first gave him a full-time ride in the Winston Cup Series, Schrader was just a passionate racer from Missouri with an insatiable love for speed. His move to Hendrick Motorsports in 1988 wasn’t just a career transition but a gateway to creating NASCAR history.

Between 1988 and 1996, Schrader became more than just a driver; he was a cornerstone of the emerging Hendrick Motorsports dynasty. His remarkable achievement of winning the Daytona 500 pole for three consecutive years (1988-1990) wasn’t just a personal triumph but a statement of the team’s emerging technological prowess. In 1994, he delivered his most stellar performance, finishing fourth in the championship standings – a testament to his skill and the team’s evolving competitive spirit.

What made Schrader truly special wasn’t just his racing ability but his unfiltered perspective and deep respect for the sport’s pioneers. “I’ve never added up the number of races,” he once quipped, channeling Richard Petty’s philosophy, “but whatever that number is, we should have won more than we did.” This humble attitude, combined with his incredible versatility – racing over 1,060 times in NASCAR and ARCA alone – embodied the true essence of a racing legend. This legacy will be celebrated at Darlington Raceway by Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team on April 6th.