Ingenious Cheats in NASCAR: Edition 6 – Hendrick Motorsports’ Infamous Allegations

It isn’t easy to run a full-time Cup Series, especially one that is as big as Hendrick Motorsports. Rick Hendrick has led the team to the top of the mountain in NASCAR, but the road has not been smooth. On that journey, the team might have, at times, taken the help of tactics outside of the rule books, and whenever they’ve been caught, it has been a huge story in the sport. Here is a look at some of the times it was alleged that the team used underhanded tactics to get the job done.

Jeff Gordon has been in the thick of it on several occasions

One of the first instances of the team getting caught trying to bend the rules came in 1995 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. At the time, the team was slapped with a fine of $60,000, which at the time was a record. But what did they do to deserve such a fate? Well, the driver in question was none other than Jeff Gordon.

During the race, the #24’s front right came off, and when NASCAR inspected the car, it was found that the team had altered the spindle by drilling a hole through it. As a result, the wheel was lighter than the minimum weight requirement. The team accepted the decision and did not appeal.

The four-time Cup Series champion was the victim of another such violation five years later at Richmond. The #24 car won the race last year, but NASCAR came down hard on the team after the event. This time, the issue was that the team had used an authorized engine part in the race. Hendrick Motorsports was fined $25,000, and NASCAR docked 100 points for Jeff Gordon.

“It just upsets me because this team worked hard for that win in Richmond, and I believe these allegations that we cheated will undeservedly overshadow that victory,” Gordon had said as per ESPN.

Back in those days, Hendrick Motorsports was only beginning to become a giant in the NASCAR Cup Series. As time passed, the team became more successful, but the allegations also started getting a lot more serious, and the fines became a lot heftier.

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Hendrick Motorsports was slapped with the harshest fine ever in 2023

One of the most popular incidents of NASCAR penalizing Hendrick Motorsports in the modern era came 8 years ago, in 2016. At the time, the legendary Jimmie Johnson was the driver of the #48 car in Rick Hendrick’s organization. That season, in the finale at Homestead Miami, the #48 team was forced to start from the back of the pack.

According to the investigators, the A post of the car was manipulated before the event, and they came down hard on the 7-time Cup Series champion. Things must have looked quite bleak for the veteran racer, but he fought back from the predicament and managed to bag his 7th Cup Series championship.

However, perhaps one of the most controversial decisions that went against Hendrick Motorsports took place as recently as 2023. After the first Cup Series race at Phoenix, the 14-time champions were slapped with the biggest fine NASCAR has ever doled out, totaling a whopping $400,000.

It was an L-2 level penalty for unapproved part modifications. Kaulig Racing was also one of the teams involved in the drama. NASCAR had confiscated the hood louvers of all 4 HMS cars to be brought into its R&D Center for investigation. It was found that HMS had illegally modified a part related to how the radiator duct is assembled.

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These are just a few instances of Hendrick Motorsports being penalized by NASCAR. There are several other occasions where Rick Hendrick’s organization has had to face the wrath of the officials. At this point, fans have accepted all this as just a part of racing.