After bagging its third Cup Series title in the last six seasons in Phoenix, Hendrick Motorsports has turned its attention inward. The plan is to fuel competition under its own roof to build crew synergy to another level ahead of 2026.
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Starting Thursday at 9 a.m., 12 Hendrick Motorsports engine builders will partner with 12 Hendrick Automotive Group Certified Master Technicians in a challenge to see who can assemble a NASCAR-inspired 358-cubic-inch V8 engine faster and cleaner than the rest. Here precision of the teams will be put to the test.
Each engine contains 243 engineered parts, and every misstep will rack up penalties. The event, the 24th edition of the Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown, will be broadcast live. The competition, which showcases skill, teamwork, and mechanical artistry, is named after the mastermind engine builder, Randy Dorton.
Last year’s finale came down to the wire, with Hendrick Motorsports’ Danny Emerick and Hendrick Automotive’s Shane Flake edging out the duo of Scott Vester and Joe Gagatch by just 31 seconds. It marked Emerick’s seventh career victory, the most in event history. He’s back again this year, eyeing title number eight.
Past champions include the who’s who of mechanical wizards: From six-time winner Scott Vester, two-time winners John Boydston, Jay Wiles, and Robert Marock (from Honda of Concord).
The showdown also acts as a bridge between Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group, the two sides of Rick Hendrick’s empire. While one builds race-winning engines for the Cup Series, the other keeps customers’ cars running across the country.
This annual competition unites them under one banner, testing craftsmanship, communication, and nerves of steel. And what’s at stake is more than just bragging rights. Winners will take home a brand-new, fully stocked NAPA toolbox, while runners-up earn a mobile NAPA tool cart.
The competition will span two days, with four qualifying builds set for Thursday and two more on Friday morning before the finale that afternoon. Pairings are determined by random draw, keeping every matchup unpredictable.
The technicians from Hendrick Automotive Group aren’t chosen lightly either. Each one must rank among the year’s top performers in customer service. They must also pass a specialized Hendrick Automotive-tailored ASE certification exam to qualify.
Heading into this year’s contest, Kevin Moler and Kyle Kittell have set the early benchmark, sitting atop the leaderboard among eight teams.
