The spotlight at the Championship 4 in Phoenix will be on just two teams: Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. They’re the only ones with drivers still in contention for the championship, making it the perfect time for both sides to reflect on their battles, rivalries, and moments of respect over the years.
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Behind everything that has happened on the NASCAR track lies a decades-long friendship between the owners, Joe Gibbs and Rick Hendrick. They are two giants of NASCAR whose respect for each other runs far deeper than the checkered flag.
Their bond dates back nearly 30 years, when Gibbs’ sons, J.D. and Coy, decided to pursue racing after their father stepped away from coaching in the NFL. Gibbs, intrigued by the idea of turning motorsports into a family venture, was advised to seek counsel from Hendrick, who had already spent a successful decade in NASCAR. The connection came naturally, as Hendrick had been an ardent fan of Gibbs’ Washington Redskins (now Commanders), the team he led to three Super Bowl titles.
At first, Hendrick sent his then-general manager, Jimmy Johnson, to accompany Gibbs to meetings as he navigated NASCAR’s business side. When Joe Gibbs Racing debuted in 1992, its Chevrolets ran engines leased from Hendrick Motorsports.
The partnership laid the foundation for both dynasties that would follow, Hendrick going on to claim 14 Cup Series titles, Gibbs earning five of his own.
Recalling those early days, Gibbs said, “It was really, really important for us. When I started thinking about trying, you got to remember, I was a football coach. I didn’t have anything. So, when both boys, J.D. and Coy, we talked about getting in racing… Everybody referred me to Rick. Thank goodness he was a Big Red Skins fan.”
“Got him to a football game… Rick helped us a lot. He let Jimmie Johnson, his general manager at that time, kind of go with me to a lot of meetings. He just helped and gave advice. Then we started off originally leasing motors and everything from Rick. It was a huge deal for us, for us to be able to get off the ground. Rick played a huge role in that. I just really appreciate that.”
When Hendrick was later asked about the famous “football game incident” Gibbs referenced, the one where his shoes disintegrated in freezing conditions, he couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, yeah. Biggest mistake I made in racing was helping Joe Gibbs (smiling),” he joked first before narrating the whole scene.
Hendrick, a lifelong Commanders supporter, recalled, “It was cold, and I got off the tram. I started toward the field, and the bottom came off of my boot. I had one of these, I guess, mountain boots I hadn’t had on in a while. So the bottom came off. I go down on the field, and I’m standing in water. It’s freezing and sleeting, and I got no shoes on. I mean, I got the bottoms come off both of my boots.”
Hendrick said he considered asking the JGR owner for help but thought better of it. “I said, Man, all those bodyguards around you, if I walked up to you, I probably would have been put in jail.” Gibbs, upon hearing the story later, told him, “You should have said something.”
Their friendship has endured both triumphs and heartbreak. Each has faced profound personal loss — Hendrick losing a son, and Gibbs losing both of his. Through it all, they’ve leaned on one another, building a bond rooted in shared faith, resilience, and deep mutual respect.
“There’s nobody I respect any more than I do Joe Gibbs and the great organization he’s put together,” the HMS owner said. “I mean, I admire the man for his strength, what he’s gone through.”
At Phoenix, their cars will go wheel-to-wheel once again, rivals under the lights, friends once the helmets come off.
