"I’m excited to experience it firsthand": When Rick Hendrick showcased his passion for Camaro at the ZL1 production launch

When he's not at a racetrack, NASCAR champion car owner Rick Hendrick is often out sharing his passion for cars. The owner of Hendrick Motorsports got to do just that back in 2012 when the Oshawa Assembly Plant began production of the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

Hendrick visited the plant, located in Oshawa, Ontario, to celebrate the start of the new Camaro's production. The North Carolina native was the first to purchase the new Camaro ZL1 that was available to the public. He also purchased the first 2010 Camaro Coupe and the first 2011 Camaro Convertible.

Hendrick was quoted on his team's website showing his appreciation for being at the Oshawa Assembly Plant for the new Camaro's production. He said:

“I had the opportunity to visit the plant last January when they started production of the 2011 Camaro Convertible. As a Chevy enthusiast, it’s an honor to spend time at such an impressive facility and meet the people who produce some of world’s most incredible high-performance cars. They’ve raised the bar again with the new Camaro ZL1, and I’m excited to be back in Oshawa to experience it firsthand.”

At the time, the Camaro ZL1 was the most powerful of its kind on the market. The car has a 6.2L engine with 580 horsepower and 556 lb.-ft. of torque. The car has exceptional speed as it can accelerate from 0 to 96 km/h in under four seconds and reaches a top speed of 297 km/h.

Hendrick is a 14-time Cup Series champion owner with over 300 Cup victories, ranking the most of all-time in both categories. Hendrick Motorsports continues to field four full-time Cup Series teams, with Kyle Larson in the #5 car, Chase Elliott in the #9, William Byron in the #24, and Alex Bowman in the #48. In 2025, HMS is seeking its first championship since 2021 and its first in the NextGen era.

---

Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman earned pole for Saturday's Xfinity Series race

While Rick Hendrick's team Hendrick Motorsports is synonymous with the NASCAR Cup Series, the organization also fields a part-time Xfinity Series entry. This weekend, Alex Bowman is behind the wheel of the #17 HMS Chevrolet and proceeded to put the car on the pole for Saturday's event.

HMS took to social media to share a snippet of Bowman wheeling the #17 machine around Phoenix Raceway. A native of Tuscon, Arizona, Phoenix is Bowman's home track. HMS penned a caption that read:

"Putting down fast laps for his hometown (weekend) tour 🫡 @alex_bowman starts P1 in tonight’s Xfinity race on the CW at 5:00 PM ET!"

The #17 HMS car will see Chase Elliott, William Byron, and Kyle Larson get behind the wheel throughout the 2025 season. The ride will also feature upstart driver Corey Day for a select number of races.