On Thursday in Concord, North Carolina, Rick Hendrick marked a major milestone as he helped open the new Atrium Health Motorsports Athletic Center, a 35,000-square-foot hub dedicated to the physical and mental wellness of the Hendrick Motorsports team and staff. The new facility represents a significant investment in keeping Hendrick Motorsports competitive at the highest level, equipping drivers, pit crew members, and employees with top-tier resources to prepare for the demands of the NASCAR season, and stands as a model for health-focused innovation in motorsports.
Grand Opening Ushers in a New Era for Hendrick Motorsports
The ribbon-cutting at the Hendrick Motorsports campus brought together team members, leaders, and guests to celebrate an athletic center that stands out among racing organizations. No longer are pit crews described as being out of shape or stuck in outdated training practices. Instead, all staff now train at a facility that rivals those seen in leagues like the NFL, boasting advanced equipment and modern amenities.
The transformation is evident to those who have witnessed the evolution firsthand.
“I first started coming here around 2012,”
Chase Elliott told FanBuzz at the grand opening.
“Wild. Kind of crazy to have watched a lot of this transform into what it has become today.”
— Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports driver
He reflected on the changes under Rick Hendrick’s leadership.
“I’ve known the boss for a long time now, and there’s just nothing that he doesn’t do first class. And that’s just who he is, and fortunately, he’s in a position where he can do that. And the good news is, his decisions that he makes that are first class affect a lot of people and a lot of families.”
— Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports driver
World-Class Training Facilities and Specialized Equipment
From drivers such as Alex Bowman and William Byron to crew chiefs like Alan Gustafson, the athletic center offers everyone on campus access to a gym equipped by leading fitness brands, including Sorinex, Concept2, Assault Fitness, Rogue Fitness, and Torque Fitness. The purpose-built gym features a variety of training apparatus like weightlifting rigs, a climbing wall, rowers, stationary bikes, and gear such as kettlebells, dumbbells, and medicine balls to accommodate comprehensive athletic training.
Beyond exercise, the center caters to all facets of personal wellness, including a fully stocked barbershop and spaces for both team workouts and personal fitness goals, giving crew members the edge as they get ready for upcoming races.
The spacious layout also supports pit stop practice with a closed-loop circuit large enough for two teams to train simultaneously, as well as meeting and film rooms for strategic planning and performance review.
Longhorn Lockers designed the ventilated lockers in the new locker room area, accommodating gear for over 50 team members, including the drivers and Rick Hendrick himself.
“Hendrick Motorsports also has a locker room inspired by top tier universities. Mr. Hendrick even has a locker. These are ventilated to help with the gear smells.”
— John Newby, journalist
Emphasis on Wellness, Recovery, and Prevention
The facility sets a standard for holistic health, integrating advanced recovery protocols. The hydrotherapy suite is equipped with saunas, hot and cold tubs, and a dedicated dry therapy room houses a hyperbaric chamber, HydroMassage lounge chairs, and both red and infrared light therapy tools. Specialized rooms allow athletes to receive treatment for injuries or fatigue, utilizing modern devices like ultrasound scanners, all overseen by medical professionals and experienced clinicians.
For tire changer Andrew Bridgeforth, the facility’s focus on recovery and conditioning is central to the team’s sustained excellence.
“The point of this in the wet recovery and the training facility is to keep us at peak physical condition throughout the season,”
he said.
“I mean, we win everything already (laughs), but this is just going to make it so we can sustain that.”
— Andrew Bridgeforth, Hendrick Motorsports tire changer
Supporting Athletes and Staff with Comprehensive Resources
The new center is not just about treating injuries or strengthening bodies—it’s about optimizing each individual’s health and performance for the long term. Nutrition education stations, InBody Body Composition Scanners, and a staff of Atrium Health clinicians on site streamline the process of staying healthy even with the rigors of travel and competition. These initiatives are especially valuable for current drivers like Kyle Larson, Corey Day, and others as they pursue victories and championships.
Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon underscored the philosophy behind the center:
“I’ve learned a lot through this process, right, about what it takes not only to train athletes to get the performance to another level, but also the aspect of preventative healthcare to prevent the injuries, or the recovery process of them,”
he explained.
“And I went through some of that myself — when I hurt my back — of how important having the right doctors, what the remedy was. And you want the least amount of trial and error as you possibly can. So there’s definitely a need for the hot water and heat versus cold, and so we wanted to make sure our athletes had everything they needed.”
— Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman
Alan Gustafson, crew chief for the No. 9 team, stressed how vital a focus on wellness is.
“If you’re not emphasizing your physical and mental health, you are going to be at a disadvantage,”
noted Gustafson.
“And I think that this place is going to give you the opportunity to do that.”
— Alan Gustafson, crew chief
He further commented on the impact of the new space:
“Hopefully… this is great, but it’s still going to take the effort. You still have to go do the work. But I think not only having the opportunity to have it here is going to encourage people to do it, but also feel like a step like this can transform our culture a bit more to put emphasis on health and wellness, and this is a nice step in that direction.”
— Alan Gustafson, crew chief
Accessible Health Services for All Hendrick Motorsports Employees
While the ultimate goal is competitive excellence, Rick Hendrick also emphasized the commitment to every member of his staff. The new athletic center serves not just race team members but all 5,000 employees across the Carolinas and their dependents—totaling around 40,000 individuals.
“We have — just in the Carolinas, we’ve got about 5,000 employees and teammates,”
Hendrick stated.
“And with the dependents, there’s 40,000. And so we need good health care.”
— Rick Hendrick, team owner
On-site Atrium Health clinicians offer easily accessible care for routine health needs, reducing absenteeism and identifying medical issues early. This follows a model already proven effective in the Hendrick Automotive Group’s existing wellness center, which has helped lower injuries and improve workforce wellbeing.
Employees can conveniently address health concerns during the workday, avoiding the need to visit off-site facilities, and benefit from programs and infrastructure that set new standards in employee care within motorsports.
Impact and Future of the Hendrick Motorsports Athletic Center
The launch of the Atrium Health Motorsports Athletic Center positions Hendrick Motorsports teams and employees for long-term health, resilience, and continued on-track success. The initiative is expected to raise the bar for wellness facilities in the NASCAR world, with features and services on par with elite college athletic programs and professional sports teams.
The investment in this new facility underlines Rick Hendrick’s commitment to doing things “first class” and sets an example for maintaining a competitive edge not just through engineering and racing strategy, but also through comprehensive support for physical and mental wellbeing. As season preparations move forward, the athletic center is likely to attract attention around the industry and may inspire similar projects elsewhere, helping redefine what it means to support a race team in the modern era.
I have two stories to write, but I can say that the new Hendrick Motorsports facility is fully stocked with everything the employees need to be healthy. pic.twitter.com/JUDd7mHytd
— John Newby (@JohnNewby_) January 22, 2026
Hendrick Motorsports also has a locker room inspired by top tier universities. Mr. Hendrick even has a locker.
These are ventilated to help with the gear smells. pic.twitter.com/vF0cVz20jP— John Newby (@JohnNewby_) January 22, 2026
