On Friday, Front Row Motorsports announced some personnel changes to its organization. Of note, Noah Gragson and the No. 4 team will have a new crew chief this year.

Grant Hutchens will sit atop the pit box for Gragson this year, replacing Drew Blickensderfer, who moves into the role of Competition Director. Hutchens has worked as a Cup crew chief before, but only in a handful of races between 2021 and 2024. He worked with Brad Keselowski and Austin Cindric at Team Penske, and also Harrison Burton at the Wood Brothers for nine races total.

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Elsewhere, Seth Barbour will continue as the team’s Technical Director, and Jonathan DeHart has joined FRM as its Aerodynamics Manager.

Blickensderfer is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500 as a crew chief, but things didn’t go well for the No. 4 team this past year. Gragson lagged behind his teammates, and struggled to find results. He scored just one top five and three top tens, ending the year 34th in the championship standings, and the only full-time drivers ranked lower were Riley Herbst and Cody Ware. FRM teammates Todd Gilliland and Zane Smith ended the year 27th and 28th in the final standings, respectively.

Gragson’s best result came at Talladega, where he finished fourth.

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Audi Formula 1 team chief Jonathan Wheatley has revealed that he never planned on becoming a team principal after beginning his motorsport career as a junior mechanic at Benetton in the early 1990s.

Having joined Sauber as team principal in 2025, the Briton now heads into 2026 as the outfit transitions to Audi for the upcoming F1 season. The 58-year-old has reflected on his career to date and how he rose through the ranks, starting as a junior mechanic at Benetton before serving as chief mechanic at the same team and Renault, and as team manager and sporting director at Red Bull.

“This would be the least successful career in the world if I had, because it’s taken me 34 years to get here,” he told Motorsport Week when asked if he had always planned on becoming a team principal.

“No, back then, team principals were Ron Dennis, Flavio Briatore, Luca di Montezemolo. I mean, just to even think for a second that you could be a team principal was completely unattainable, because I generally have been happy working in a team environment.

“I never really saw myself doing the next step or the next step. I’ve just enjoyed every day in Formula 1. And like I said, I’ve been very lucky that people have identified me as maybe somebody who could take the next step. And then I think sometimes in your career, you get a significant phone call, and this was one of those.”

Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal of Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber

Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images

He added: “And I’ve just been tremendously privileged to have been, at no point in my career, massively career motivated. I’ve just enjoyed working with whatever team, and I’ve been offered opportunities, and I sit here today as a Team Principal of what’s going to be the Audi Formula 1 project, which is one of the most exciting things I can believe I can say in a sentence.”

Audi will enter the F1 grid in 2026 with the same driver line-up as Sauber in 2025 – Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto – but will now be under the new Audi branding as a works team.

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Jeff Gordon has expressed his excitement with Hendrick Motorsports’ new partner tipped to make a big impact behind the scenes. 

Heading into the 2026 NASCAR season, Hendrick will have a new partner to aid them in their quest to maintain their status as one of the top teams in the sport. On Thursday, Gordon and Hendrick announced that the team has partnered with Atrium Health on a new facility meant to aid the team’s drivers, such as Kyle Larson.

The 35,000-square-foot facility, called the Atrium Health Athletic Center, is set to open in late January and will feature amenities aimed at helping the drivers remain in top shape. The announcement comes after Hendrick Motorsports made a $14.2M piurchase after Rick Hendrick’s $1 billion admission.. 

“Excited to welcome @AtriumHealth to the team! Here’s a first look at the partnership in action,” Gordon’s post on X read, which showed renderings of what the new facility would look like, featuring photos of a spa area, weight room, and fully furnished locker rooms, among other amenities. 

Furthermore, Gordon elaborated on the benefits of having a facility with Atrium Health for the drivers, particularly since NASCAR differs from other motorsports, which he claimed would have an “impact where it matters most.” He also elaborated on the partnership in a release from Hendrick Motorsports, which was issued in conjunction with the social media posts. 

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“The demands of NASCAR are different from any other sport – the schedule is relentless, the margins are extremely tight, and performance is about preparation as much as it is execution,” the four-time Cup Series champion’s statement began.

“This new facility allows our coaches and staff to work side by side with Atrium Health clinicians, ensuring every aspect of training, recovery and readiness is aligned. Everything in this space is designed around our athletes and our teammates.

“At the end of the day, it always comes back to people, and this new partnership reflects a shared commitment to supporting them the right way every day.”

Dr. Claude T. Moorman, the President of Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute, explained they were “proud” to team up with Hendrick in creating a facility that integrates “sports medicine, performance services and clinical care.” 

“Our focus will be on supporting athlete fitness, injury prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, as well as optimizing performance throughout the NASCAR season, which is the longest season in professional sports,” his statement read.

“This partnership allows us to deliver high-level care in a purpose-built environment that meets the needs of both elite athletes and the broader workforce of the Hendrick organization.”

With Hendrick getting a new facility, it certainly can aid Larson’s, one of the team’s stars, quest to win another championship. In the 2025 season, Larson edged out Denny Hamlin in overtime to win his second Cup Series title, Hendrick’s 15th overall, the most in the sport. 

Atrium Health has joined 15-time NASCAR Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports in an innovative partnership that includes naming rights to the new 35,000-square-foot Atrium Health Motorsports Athletic Center located on the team’s campus in Concord.

The agreement establishes Atrium Health as both a brand partner of Hendrick Motorsports and a long-term provider in athlete and employee wellness.

Atrium Health is home to the region’s largest sports medicine outreach program and is nationally ranked for orthopedic care by U.S. News & World Report. The organization supports more than 20 professional and collegiate teams and over 100 high schools across North Carolina and South Carolina.

Set to officially open later this month, the Atrium Health Motorsports Athletic Center at Hendrick Motorsports will provide integrated medical, wellness and sports performance resources for the team’s more than 50 pit crew athletes, while also supporting the health needs of Hendrick Motorsports’ Charlotte-area employees. Atrium Health clinicians will staff the facility.

The Atrium Health Motorsports Athletic Center includes a high-performance gym with the latest training equipment, modern locker rooms, a team operations center for race-day competition operations, a nutrition area, athletic meeting and film rooms, and dedicated spaces for physical therapy, hydrotherapy and recovery. The facility also features a dedicated space for sports science research, and a closed-loop pit stop practice circuit that can accommodate two teams concurrently.

Beginning with the 2026 NASCAR season, Atrium Health will have a significant presence across all Hendrick Motorsports-fielded teams, including logo placement on driver fire suits, crew apparel, athletic training gear and track equipment.

Atrium Health has actively supported the NASCAR industry through initiatives like the NASCAR Day Giveathon and by providing sports medicine coverage at major events such as the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. These efforts underscore Atrium Health’s commitment to improving health and wellness for athletes, fans and event participants at the speedway.

Gene A. Woods, CEO, Advocate Health: “Partnering with Hendrick Motorsports is a defining opportunity to deliver world‑class, innovative medical care to one of the highest‑performance cultures in NASCAR. In both health care and auto racing, excellence is engineered – driven by precision, powered by state‑of‑the‑art technology and made possible by exceptional teammates. With Atrium Health’s nationally recognized clinicians embedded on the Hendrick campus, this partnership will help keep their record‑setting athletes fully on the throttle and give every team member faster, more seamless access to care – on and off the track.”

Rick Hendrick, owner, Hendrick Motorsports: “People are the foundation of our organization, and supporting their health and performance is essential to our success. Our new partnership with Atrium Health brings best-in-class clinical and performance resources directly to our campus. There’s no facility like this in the world of auto racing. It’s a game changer. The Atrium Health Motorsports Athletic Center will help our athletes perform at their best and give our teammates convenient access to high-quality health care. We value the shared commitment to people that defines both of our organizations, and we look forward to a truly incredible collaboration in the coming years.”

Dr. Claude T. Moorman, president, Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute: “We are proud to join Hendrick Motorsports in creating a facility that integrates sports medicine, performance services and clinical care. Our focus will be on supporting athlete fitness, injury prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, as well as optimizing performance throughout the NASCAR season, which is the longest season in professional sports. This partnership allows us to deliver high-level care in a purpose-built environment that meets the needs of both elite athletes and the broader workforce of the Hendrick organization.”

Jeff Gordon, vice chairman, Hendrick Motorsports: “The demands of NASCAR are different from any other sport – the schedule is relentless, the margins are extremely tight, and performance is about preparation as much as it is execution. This new facility allows our coaches and staff to work side by side with Atrium Health clinicians, ensuring every aspect of training, recovery and readiness is aligned. Everything in this space is designed around our athletes and our teammates. At the end of the day, it always comes back to people, and this new partnership reflects a shared commitment to supporting them the right way every day.”

Editor’s note: Today’s Spire Motorsports preview continues NASCAR.com’s countdown of team previews for the 2026 Cup Series season.

SPIRE MOTORSPORTS

Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Engine: Hendrick Motorsports
Driver-crew chief pairings: Daniel Suárez-Ryan Sparks (No. 7); Michael McDowell-Travis Peterson (No. 71); Carson Hocevar-Luke Lambert (No. 77)

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Team outlook: Anyone within the Spire Motorsports camp would probably tell you 2025 was a disappointment. The team showed speed throughout the season and competed for wins, but couldn’t close the deal with any of their three cars. None of their drivers reached the playoffs, but that could and should change in 2026, as Spire understands what they are capable of, attempting to shatter the glass ceiling and make a big statement in the year ahead.

DANIEL SUÁREZ, NO. 7 CHEVROLET

Experience: 9 full-time seasons in NASCAR Cup Series; 323 starts
2025 stats: 29th in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 2 top fives, 7 top 10s, 0 poles, 35 laps led

Driver outlook: Suárez had his worst final result in the standings last year since his 2020 campaign with Gaunt Brothers Racing. Going into 2026, he replaces Justin Haley in the No. 7 Chevrolet, and all signs should point toward a far better year for the 34-year-old veteran. Paired with McDowell, the two should be forces to be reckoned with on road courses this year, and Suárez’s recent history at EchoPark Speedway could line him up for a breakthrough multi-win campaign.

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MORE: Daniel Suárez driver page

MICHAEL MCDOWELL, NO. 71 CHEVROLET

Experience: 18 seasons in NASCAR Cup Series (full-time the last nine seasons); 537 starts
2025 stats: 22nd in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 3 top fives, 6 top 10s, 2 poles, 96 laps led

Driver outlook: Texas and Chicago were ones that got away from McDowell as the long-time veteran was passed by Logano for the lead in the closing laps before crashing with two laps to go from second in the Lone Star State. At Chicago, McDowell started on the front row and led 31 laps before a mechanical failure ruined the No. 71 team’s day. Even at age 41 with many miles logged, the hunger and drive are still there for McDowell and should be in contention for victories this year, maybe even having an outside shot at a championship run.

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MORE: Michael McDowell driver page

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 CHEVROLET

Experience: 2 full-time seasons in NASCAR Cup Series; 81 starts
2025 stats: 23rd in final Cup Series standings; 0 wins, 2 top fives, 9 top 10s, 1 pole, 122 laps led

Driver outlook: Hocevar lived by the moniker of “checkers or wreckers” last season, and it bit him more times than it rewarded. Consistent, race-contending speed is there in the No. 77 Chevrolet, but the goal for Hocevar is to have the discipline to complete the grind of a full race. He showed that at Nashville, finishing runner-up to a dominant Ryan Blaney, but other races got away from him. If he can hone it in consistently and balance aggression through a 36-race calendar, there’s no telling what Hocevar could achieve in his third Cup season.

MORE: Carson Hocevar driver page

As NASCAR Cup Series points racing returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway for the first time in nearly 30 years, the soundtrack of that era returns as well with multi-platinum country hitmakers Sawyer Brown headline a pre-race concert presented by Raymer Oil. The performance will be part of The Boys and Me Tour, firing up fans before the historic Window World 450 at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 19, 2026.

The Window World 450 marks the first NASCAR Cup Series points race at North Wilkesboro Speedway since 1996 and the first 450-lap Cup Series race in track history. With extended distance and playoff implications, the event is set to be one of the most anticipated races on the 2026 NASCAR calendar.

“North Wilkesboro Speedway and Sawyer Brown both represent eras for racing and music that fans still talk about with passion today,” said Graig Hoffman, executive director of North Wilkesboro Speedway. “As points racing returns to Wilkes County for the first time in three decades, it felt fitting to welcome a band that was defining country music during that same period. This will be a summer doubleheader of entertainment you’ll hear throughout the North Carolina mountains in July!”

Formed in the early 1980s and rocketing to national fame in the mid-1990s, Sawyer Brown has built a reputation on electrifying live shows and songs rooted in real life. With 24 albums, 51 charted singles and the No. 1 hit “Some Girls Do,” the band has spent more than four decades delivering high-energy performances to fans across the country — including more than 6,000 live shows.

Anchored by frontman Mark Miller alongside Gregg Hubbard (keyboards/vocals), Joe Smyth (percussion), and Shayne Hill (lead guitar), Sawyer Brown’s legendary live energy is set to echo through North Wilkesboro Speedway for a 60-minute set beginning at 5 p.m., revving up fans ahead of the return of the highly anticipated Window World 450.

“There’s something special about a place that has stood the test of time,” said Miller. “North Wilkesboro Speedway has that kind of soul. Bringing The Boys and Me Tour to a track with this much history, on a night this meaningful, is exactly the kind of moment we love to be part of.”

Fans can experience the “life songs” of Sawyer Brown’s pre-race concert up close with a $75 Track Pass upgrade, which includes stage-front access to the concert, driver introductions and pre-race festivities.

TICKETS:

Single-day tickets will be available for purchase exclusively at the North Wilkesboro Speedway Box Office, Tuesday, Jan. 13, from noon to 5 p.m. Three-day weekend ticket packages and Track Passes can be purchased online now at www.northwilkesborospeedway.com.

MORE INFO:

Fans can connect with North Wilkesboro Speedway and get the latest news by following on X and Instagram or becoming a Facebook fan.

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