North Carolina's Prominent Automotive and Motor Sports Companies Step Up to Aid: Hendrick, Sonic, and Speedwayjoin Forces for NC Relief Efforts
Hendrick Automotive Group, Hendrick Motorsports, and Partners Pledge $2 Million for Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts
In a show of solidarity and community support, Hendrick Automotive Group, Hendrick Motorsports, Sonic Automotive, and Speedway Motorsports have pledged a combined $2 million donation to Samaritan's Purse for hurricane relief efforts following the impact of Hurricane Helene.
The donation, announced during the Fall Fest fan event in Concord on October 11, will support relief efforts in western North Carolina and throughout the Southeast, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Hendrick Motorsports, founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984, has been at the forefront of the relief efforts. The winningest team in NASCAR Cup Series history, with 14 championships, 311 race victories, and over 81,000 laps led, has been actively involved in relief missions since shortly after the hurricane. Using their helicopters, they have delivered supplies and helped evacuate residents in heavily impacted areas such as Asheville, Waynesville, and Fairview. These efforts are coordinated with Samaritan’s Purse, a humanitarian organization focused on disaster relief.
Employees and leadership from Hendrick Motorsports have deeply engaged in ongoing relief operations, emphasizing teamwork and community support during the crisis. Trackhouse Racing’s pit crew also participated in hands-on relief in Asheville, notably bringing chainsaws to assist in the aftermath.
Other groups, like DRMP employees in Charlotte, have contributed by donating money and assembling toiletry bags for victims of Hurricane Helene, showing continued community involvement beyond the initial donation.
Speedway Motorsports, which owns and operates premier motorsports facilities including Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, Texas Motor Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, and Kentucky Speedway, held Hurricane Helene relief drives last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway and North Wilkesboro Speedway, collecting over 400 pallets of donated items.
Charlotte Motor Speedway will continue to take donations each Wednesday from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. throughout October. Financial donations and volunteer opportunities can be found on Samaritan's Purse's website (www.SamaritansPurse.org).
The CEOs of the four companies (Rick Hendrick, David B. Smith, and Marcus Smith) issued a joint statement expressing their commitment to support the affected communities. Hendrick Automotive Group, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, employs over 10,000 people across 93 dealership locations, 21 collision centers, and four accessories distributor installers in 13 states. Sonic Automotive, Inc., a Fortune 500 company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is committed to becoming the most valuable diversified automotive retail and service brand in America.
This effort reflects a multi-faceted approach combining a significant financial donation with active logistical and on-site support to maximize impact for those affected by Hurricane Helene.
The Hendrick Automotive Group, with its extensive presence in the automotive industry, has joined forces with Hendrick Motorsports in providing crucial financial aid to disaster relief efforts through Samaritan's Purse, following the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene. In addition, Speedway Motorsports, a key player in the sports and transportation sectors, organized relief drives and donated essential items to aid victims across affected regions.
