In what is considered the unofficial start to the “real” Nascar season, Jimmie Johnson was able to hold off a charging field to win the Folds of Honor Quik Trip 500 at Atlanta. It was just one part of a huge day for car owner Rick Hendrick, who saw all three of his Cup cars finish in the top-10.
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| The Hendrick 2016 Team |
“Man, we’re all just tickled to death to see Jimmie, Junior & Chase have a great run today”, said team owner Rick Hendrick, referring to his three drivers Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Chase Elliott. “It just goes to show how much work the guys back at the shop are putting in to get all three cars up to speed on this new lower-downforce package.”
Johnson used crafty pit strategy to hold the lead through the extended finish, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., who edged out former Hendrick driver Kyle Busch for runner-up. Rookie sensation Chase Elliott, meanwhile, came home eighth to round out the Hendrick contingent.
“This was a total team effort”, Jimmie Johnson said from victory lane. “They told me that Junior and Chase had some good finishes too, that just goes to show you the depth this team has.”
Johnson went on to compliment his team for giving him a car capable of winning, saying, “This Hendrick team, they always give us what we need. Going way back to when it was just me, Jeff Gordon and Brian Vickers, it’s a total team effort here at HMS.”