Rick Hendrick has secured a major sponsorship deal for Hendrick Motorsports with Atrium Health, an announcement that brings significant changes for the 2026 NASCAR season and strengthens the team’s long-standing focus on both performance and wellbeing. By integrating Atrium Health—a powerhouse in the Southeastern health sector—as a sponsor, Hendrick reinforces the importance of healthcare and top-tier resources for his championship-caliber organization.
Atrium Health Joins Hendrick Motorsports Ahead of New Season
The partnership follows a period of strong performance for Hendrick Motorsports, highlighted by Kyle Larson’s 2025 Cup Series championship victory. This success has not only elevated the team’s profile but has also attracted new sponsorship opportunities. Atrium Health, a $1.4 billion brand based in North Carolina with a robust network of hospitals and specialty clinics extending into South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, has agreed to a sponsorship arrangement just ahead of the 2026 racing season.
For Hendrick Motorsports, known as one of the sport’s most successful and enduring teams, securing strong financial backing has always been a key factor for maintaining their competitive edge. In recent years, the team has signed sponsorships with Atlantic Data Security, Phorm Energy, and renewed commitments with Valvoline. However, the partnership with Atrium Health signals a significant escalation, as it goes beyond simple branding and delves into holistic team support.
Both Atrium Health and Hendrick Motorsports share roots in North Carolina and a record of excellence in their respective industries. The collaboration represents not just a business alliance, but a shared commitment to safety, health, and high performance—core values that Rick Hendrick has long promoted within the motorsports community.
Visible Impact: Branding and Support Across the Organization
Starting with the 2026 NASCAR season, the Atrium Health brand will take a prominent place across the entire Hendrick Motorsports operation. This includes highly visible logo placement on race cars, driver suits, team apparel, crew gear, and trackside equipment for all four full-time Cup Series teams fielded by Hendrick Motorsports. The prominent visibility affirms Atrium’s investment and presence in a fast-paced, high-stakes sport that values both performance and preparation.
The sponsorship extends far beyond surface level. Atrium Health’s involvement is set to directly enhance the daily routines and wellbeing of everyone involved with Hendrick Motorsports. The financial support will also funnel into critical areas such as staff training and crew health, fortifying the foundation that Rick Hendrick believes is essential for continued success on the track.
An important dimension of this deal includes support for the famed team’s 65–70 million dollar headquarters, with Atrium Health playing an active role in the training environments used by crew members to prepare for the rigors and dangers of professional racing.
Sponsorship Translates into New Athletic Center
What truly sets this sponsorship deal apart is the way it translates financial backing into meaningful improvements for the team’s people. As part of the agreement, Hendrick Motorsports will open a new, state-of-the-art physical training complex named the Atrium Health Athletic Center on its North Carolina campus. This facility, spanning 35,000 square feet, is purpose-built to host a modern gym with high-performance equipment, nutrition facilities, physical therapy areas, and spaces for team meetings and recovery.
The athletic center is designed to support Hendrick’s more than 50 crew members, providing them with the resources necessary to stay in peak physical and mental condition throughout the demanding NASCAR season. It is clear that this investment prioritizes health and fitness to foster optimal performance—the very qualities that help make Hendrick Motorsports a perennial powerhouse in the sport.
“Atrium Health and Hendrick Motorsports have formed a partnership that will include the naming rights to the new 35,000-square-foot athletic center that will open on the team’s campus later this month.📸: @TeamHendrick pic.twitter.com/sEPlwHb2Js”— Taylor Kitchen, Media Reporter
This major addition to the Hendrick campus demonstrates how sponsorships are evolving in motorsports, moving beyond simple logo placements and into collaborative programs that deliver real value to the people who drive, build, and maintain the cars. Fittingly, Atrium Health’s wide regional expertise in medicine, including advanced cardiology, trauma care, and oncology, will now directly benefit one of auto racing’s most successful operations.
Commitment to Crew Health and Team Excellence
Rick Hendrick’s philosophy centers on the idea that a team’s success is built on the collective health and performance of its people. His dedication to improving conditions for everyone at Hendrick Motorsports is evident in the scope and quality of the new facilities and resources provided through this partnership. The Atrium Health Athletic Center also underscores the team’s proactive approach to injury prevention, fitness, and rapid recovery.
“People are the foundation of our organization, and supporting their health and performance is essential to our success. Our new partnership with Atrium Health brings best-in-class clinical and performance resources directly to our campus. There’s no facility like this in the world of auto racing. It’s a game changer,”— Rick Hendrick, Team Owner
This approach reflects Hendrick’s reputation for caring about his crew and sets a new standard in the racing industry when it comes to integrating health, fitness, and peak competitive readiness. The partnership’s impact will be seen not only in improved physical conditioning for drivers and team members but also in the enhanced morale and unity that comes from a shared commitment to wellbeing and success.
Why This Sponsorship Marks a Turning Point for NASCAR Teams
With Hendrick Motorsports fielding four full-time Cup Series entries, the demands of preparing for and competing through a grueling season are immense. The ability to provide world-class facilities and medical support may change expectations for what it means to be a modern racing organization. For Hendrick, the sponsorship ultimately bolsters key areas like logistics, recovery, and overall staff performance. This newfound alliance strengthens the foundation that could lead to more championships—and possibly influence other NASCAR teams to seek similarly broad and impactful partnerships moving forward.
The deal between Rick Hendrick and Atrium Health not only brings substantial resources to Hendrick Motorsports but advances the standards for health and performance in professional racing. As the 2026 NASCAR season approaches, all eyes will be on how this groundbreaking sponsorship shapes the competitive landscape and sets new benchmarks for both sporting and operational excellence.
Atrium Health and Hendrick Motorsports have formed a partnership that will include the naming rights to the new 35,000-square-foot athletic center that will open on the team’s campus later this month.
📸: @TeamHendrick pic.twitter.com/sEPlwHb2Js
— Taylor Kitchen (@_TaylorKitchen_) January 8, 2026
