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Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick says he has been “tearing down the walls” to restructure his NASCAR Cup series team, but that the playoffs will show if it has worked.
Having split his team into effectively two operations running two cars each, Hendrick opted to return to a “one team” concept that will run all four cars.
The decision comes after seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson won just three races in 2017, exiting the playoffs in the round of eight.
Team-mate Kasey Kahne was the only other Hendrick driver to take a victory last year. Hendrick said his call will not be validated until the 2018 campaign reaches the end of season playoff stage.
“I give [team president] Marshall Carlson and the crew chiefs all the credit – we want to live together, we want to be in one area, we want to have the best guys setting up the plate, building all the cars the same, working in the wind tunnel and sharing,” said Hendrick.
“I’m excited about it. I think when you see the guys in the garage, they’re working together. They’re all working on the cars together.
“And so it’s kind of tearing down the walls of one team versus the other team.
“In all of my years in this sport and my company, we have never worked this close together, and it’s something I’ve been wanting to see.
“So, the proof is going to be when we get down to the playoffs.
“There’s some awful good teams in that garage area. There’s some awful good cars that are not going to be in the playoffs.
“But I think we’re just going to get better and stronger.”
Elliott: Rookies can’t learn from me
Part of Hendrick’s revamp has also included refreshing the team’s driver line-up after Dale Earnhardt Jr retired and Kahne left for Leavine Racing.
Hendrick has signed 24-year-old Alex Bowman and reigning Xfinity series champion William Byron.
Chase Elliott is now the second most experienced driver at Hendrick, but he told Autosport that Bowman – who will start the Daytona 500 season opener from pole – and Byron have little to learn from him.
“I really don’t know that they’re going to learn anything from me,” he said. “They’re on a very high level right now, and they’re going to do just fine.
“As they get into situations and learn, and see things they haven’t seen yet, they’ll adjust quickly and I expect both of them to do really well without much time.”
Elliott added that Johnson’s presence meant there was less value in his advice.
“I haven’t really done a whole lot or have a whole lot of accomplishments, certainly [not] to Jimmie’s standard,” said Elliott.
“When you have a guy that’s won seven championships, I think that there’s no point in asking me any questions. He’s going to be the guy to go to.
“He’s really taken that [leadership] role on, and he’s going to fit that role really well.
“He’s a sharp guy and he’s willing to put the work in to be a better leader, and I think that’s going to help all of us.”