Hendrick Motorsports has unveiled a state-of-the-art training facility, aiming to set a new standard in sports performance with its Hendrick Motorsports athletic center, located in Concord, North Carolina. By collaborating with Sorinex, a leader in athletic facility design, this 35,000-square-foot center stands as a testament to innovation and a relentless pursuit of excellence for its athletes and pit crew members.
Custom Facility Designed for Championship Needs
To create a gym that outshines competitors across any sport, Hendrick Motorsports prioritized a customized approach over a generic, out-of-the-box solution. Sorinex, a South Carolina-based company renowned for creating elite athletic spaces since 1987, was entrusted with bringing the vision to life. Instead of simply ordering equipment, the team partnered closely with Sorinex to ensure the facility would meet the unique demands of NASCAR’s high-performance environment.
Bert Sorin, president of Sorinex, explained the importance of understanding what was needed both for athletic performance and the nuances of the sport:
“What we had to learn first was A, what was the requirement of the performance side of that? And B, how did the coaches choose to elicit that stressor,”
– Bert Sorin, President, Sorinex.
He further highlighted the cyclical nature of athletic training and why custom solutions matter:
“Because all training is a stressor and recovery cycle. So when we understood what the stressors were in the sport, we knew how to replicate that in the gym.”
– Bert Sorin, President, Sorinex.
A collaborative design phase utilized 3D software models to precisely tailor the layout for the needs identified by both organizations, allowing every square foot to serve a purpose in athlete development. The partnership extended beyond blueprints—members of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team visited Sorinex’s Lexington, South Carolina headquarters for firsthand exchanges about the specifics of pit crew training.
Learning from the Best: Research and Development
Interviews and direct observation helped both Sorinex and Hendrick Motorsports refine the final gym design. Sorin noted the exchange of expertise during the design process:
“They had some great insights of even muscular needs specifically, or movement needs specifically,”
– Bert Sorin, President, Sorinex. He likened the information exchange to an artificial intelligence model becoming smarter through feedback:
“We start teaching one another, and we get to a better and better solution together. And once we’ve had an entire day, and then a few months of massaging this thing through, you truly get something that’s form fitted for their needs.”
– Bert Sorin, President, Sorinex.
While many fitness companies could have supplied equipment, the research team led by development manager Roberto Medina and pit development manager Evan Kureczka soon noticed that Sorinex had partnered with champions in every major sport. Facility tours at sports training centers and even a visit to Fort Bragg confirmed Sorinex’s leading reputation. Their client list includes the Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Braves, Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers, UFC’s Las Vegas training center, and more.
Ultimately, Sorinex stood out as a perfect partner, not just for its equipment but also its shared drive for excellence. Sorin reflected on this dynamic:
“Well, I think a best way to answer that is winners find winners,”
– Bert Sorin, President, Sorinex. He described their role with champion teams:
“So if winning is what you have to do, whether that’s elite military units, whether that’s Super Bowl champions, Final Four champions, World Series champions, that they generally find us because we do a pretty good job of making them stronger and more resilient.”
– Bert Sorin, President, Sorinex.
Innovative Equipment and Adaptive Training
The Hendrick Motorsports athletic center is filled with a variety of equipment to better serve athletes’ unique needs. Highlights include a rock climbing wall, kettlebells weighing up to 202 pounds, resistance sleds from Torque Fitness, fan bikes for sprints, rowing machines, and custom racks built for strength training. The center also boasts a state-of-the-art X-Factor machine to train lateral speed, specifically engineered for the dynamic movements required in pit stops and NASCAR’s grueling calendar.
Crew chief Blake Harris shared his initial impressions of the facility’s impact:
“We’ve had to kind of stick them almost in a corner through the training process,”
– Blake Harris, Crew Chief, No. 48 team. He described the reaction upon seeing the new gym:
“So, I mean, really instantly, one of my changers is a wrestler, and he’s up the rock wall climbing that thing. And they were already talking about the competitions they wanted to have through all the new equipment.”
– Blake Harris, Crew Chief, No. 48 team.
To address athletes recovering from injuries, the facility includes innovative tools such as the Back Attack, a piece designed to reduce spinal stress during strength training. Sorin recounted the importance of this device:
“It ties in the glutes, the hamstrings, and the low back, which is really the engine of every athlete,”
– Bert Sorin, President, Sorinex. He added:
“That’s been one of my secret weapons. And if you look in all the strongest gyms in the world, they generally have one, and they don’t talk about it. And they don’t talk about it for a reason.”
– Bert Sorin, President, Sorinex.
Maximizing Athlete Potential with Expert Coaching
The athletic center is more than just specialized equipment; success depends on the expertise of Hendrick Motorsports’ strength and conditioning staff. Weekly training programs are carefully crafted, with adjustments made for age, competition season, and recovery needs. Mark Morrison, Hendrick Motorsports’ strength and conditioning coach, pointed out the learning curve introduced by the new Sorinex racks:
“Those (Sorinex) racks have so many attachments that we’re still learning them,”
– Mark Morrison, Strength and Conditioning Coach, HMS. He explained how the range of equipment opens new blends of movement and training styles:
“We do a lot of like… so we’ll hit a core lift, and then I call it blend work. So whoever I’m working with, let’s say I’m just gonna use this squat as an example. Let’s say we’re hitting lower. We’re doing some squats, I’ll take them over to the turf, and I might do like some single leg, bounding lateral (jumps) out in a fatigue state.”
– Mark Morrison, Strength and Conditioning Coach, HMS.
The racks’ innovative four-sided design allows endless customization. Sorin described its impact:
“If you’re a gun guy, that was the Picatinny rail of the gun world,”
– Bert Sorin, President, Sorinex. Looking back on the effect of this advancement, he added:
“And I’ve kind of joked, if we went out of business tomorrow and I passed away, I know there’s a part of what we came up with (that) will be relevant within the strength community for another few decades.”
– Bert Sorin, President, Sorinex.
A Competitive Edge for Hendrick Motorsports
The result of this ambitious project is an environment where pit crew athletes are empowered to reach new heights in physical performance. The center functions as a fitness playground, but disciplined training and coaching remain essential to its success. Every team member draws upon the latest in exercise science and equipment, fueling their continued drive to dominate on pit road and in competitions such as those at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Sorinex, under Bert Sorin’s leadership, continues to advance the science of athletic performance, with ongoing collaborations spanning elite sports franchises, military units, and college programs. For Hendrick Motorsports, this athletic center signifies far more than a collection of weights and machines—it’s a strategic advantage rooted in research, innovation, and a shared dedication to winning.
As the athletes and staff take full advantage of this cutting-edge facility, the focus remains on continuous improvement, professional rivalry, and upholding the standard of being among the best in NASCAR and beyond.
I love to nerd about the fitness side of NASCAR, so I spoke to @Sorinex President Bert Sorin. He provided an overview of helping create this massive gym for @TeamHendrick. Full article to follow.
Sorinex has worked with the Vikings, Patriots, Georgia Bulldogs, and many others. pic.twitter.com/pa6OsROnZH— John Newby (@JohnNewby_) January 22, 2026
