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Hendrick Motorsports Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon stands on pit road prior to the Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Oct 27, 2024; Homestead, Florida, USA; Hendrick Motorsports Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon stands on pit road prior to the Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

'It Is Different Than Other Sports': Jeff Gordon Explains How Hendrick Motorsports’ Partnership Is a Perfect Fit

Originally posted on The SportsRush | By Neha Dwivedi | Last updated Jan 9, 2026 1:00 AM ET

With a new NASCAR season so close and sweeping changes already in motion, from horsepower adjustments to an updated playoff format, Hendrick Motorsports has moved to strengthen its foundation away from the racetrack as well. After publicly backing the new Chevrolet body unveiled in December, the organization has turned its focus inward, emphasizing the physical demands on its people as speed increases and the calendar tightens.

To that end, HMS has partnered with Atrium Health, a major hospital network in the southern United States, to deliver integrated medical, wellness, and sports performance services for more than 50 pit crew athletes, while also extending support to its employees based in the Charlotte area, which Jeff Gordon feels could be a significant move in team development.

The partnership will lead to the creation of a new 35,000-square-foot facility, to be named Atrium Health Motorsports Athletic Center, scheduled to open later this month. Sports facility design firm Forty Nine Degrees played a key role in shaping the space. As part of the agreement, Atrium Health branding will also appear across HMS assets, including driver fire suits, team apparel, and track equipment.

Explaining why the collaboration struck the right chord, Gordon, vice chairman of HMS, emphasized that progress in the sport constantly circles back to people. He said, “We’re always looking at how can we make our race teams stronger and better, and it always falls back to people… I love that Atrium is interested in how our athletes train.”

Gordon noted that NASCAR places a unique strain on the body, unlike traditional stick-and-ball sports. “It is different than other sports. It’s a different discipline on your body. Performance, execution, and recovery after an event, you need the experts in those fields to be able to do that properly,” he added.

Teamwork won’t stop at the finish line. Hear how this partnership will continue to make an impact where it matters most. pic.twitter.com/sZ26E6SAnf

— Jeff Gordon (@JeffGordonWeb) January 8, 2026

He further stressed that NASCAR’s grind leaves little room for error. The schedule offers no real pauses, margins remain extremely thin, and success depends as much on preparation as on what happens in the car or over the wall. By housing coaches, performance staff, and Atrium Health clinicians under one roof, the new center would allow training, recovery, and readiness to move in lockstep.

The layout prioritizes athletes and team members, backing the idea that sustained performance begins with consistent care. From HMS’s perspective, the partnership represents a shared commitment to supporting its people the right way, every day.

Inside the new facility, HMS athletes will have access to advanced training equipment, modern locker rooms, a race-day operations center, nutrition spaces, film rooms, therapy areas, a pit stop practice circuit, and dedicated sports research zones. The center also includes a closed-loop pit stop practice circuit capable of accommodating two teams simultaneously.

In fact, support for the partnership arrived quickly from the HMS driver lineup as well. Kyle Larson publicly endorsed the move, resharing Gordon’s post that offered an early look at the facility, including the gym and swimming areas. Larson punctuated his approval with a short message: “Canceling my gym membership now .”

Atrium Health’s ties to NASCAR extend well beyond this agreement. The organization has supported the sport for years through efforts such as the NASCAR Day Giveathon and by providing sports medicine coverage at marquee events, including the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Team owner Rick Hendrick and his wife Linda have also maintained a long history of philanthropic involvement with the health system.

HMS President Marshall Carlson serves on Atrium’s governing board executive committee, further strengthening the relationship. Atrium Health operates as part of Advocate Health, a nonprofit system ranked third-largest in the United States, serving nearly 6 million patients.

This article first appeared on The SportsRush and was syndicated with permission.

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