It seemed inevitable when 2 out of 4 teams struggled desperately and a third struggled to hold it’s own, the Rick Hendrick would not be a happy man. It is likely that many felt the changes would not come until after the Championship victory celebration. But that was not the case. Today Hendrick Motorsports announced sweeping changes within it’s organization.
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[/media-credit]Personnel adjustments in preparation for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, were made with drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. being teamed with new crew chiefs.
Below are the driver-crew chief pairings for each Hendrick Motorsports car, effective immediately:
No. 5 Chevrolet
Driver: Mark Martin
Crew Chief: Lance McGrew
No. 24 Chevrolet
Driver: Jeff Gordon
Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
No. 48 Chevrolet
Driver: Jimmie Johnson
Crew Chief: Chad Knaus
No. 88 Chevrolet
Driver: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Crew Chief: Steve Letarte
The cars of Martin and four-time Sprint Cup champion Gordon will be fielded out of the same facility, now known as the 5/24 shop. Earnhardt Jr.’s Chevrolets will be prepared out of the renamed 48/88 shop alongside those of five-time and defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.
“This will improve us as an organization, across the board,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “We had a championship season (in 2010), but we weren’t
