It all started in 1976, when Rick Hendrick opened a car-selling shop on Bennett Parkway in North Carolina named Hendrick Automotive. And now Hendrick Motorsports is one of the biggest elephants in NASCAR and has built a business empire that stretches far beyond the track. But recent government documents have exposed one of the team’s unexpected federal ties in a way few saw coming. As Mr. H operates in both the racing and business worlds, these records hint at deals that raise eyebrows.

The government files show Hendrick Motorsports signed a swift $2.25 million agreement back in August, supplying vehicles to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for frontline duties. ICE, which is responsible for upholding immigration laws amid rising border tensions, leaned on such deals to keep opera

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