“He did so much pushing that I didn’t need to…he expected that from me…and I made sure that I had my s— together.” Jimmie Johnson, a 7-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, said these words this year about his former crew chief. That is none other than Chad Knaus, with whom Johnson has won 81 Cup Series race trophies. This level of legendary success was possible only under the work ethic which Knaus espoused – and which resonates across Rick Hendrick’s garage.

Hendrick Motorsports fetched its 15th Cup Series championship last weekend. It marked the latest for the team, where Jimmie Johnson once raced under the guidance of Chad Knaus. While Johnson is no longer part of the fold, Knaus is. What is more, he has his finger on the pulse of the team’s continued brilliance.

Rick Hendrick’s executiv

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