In the world of NASCAR, where thousandths of a second separate victory from defeat, innovation isn’t just an advantage—it’s a necessity. The battle for supremacy has never been more intense, and Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) is making sure they stay ahead of the pack. With the launch of their cutting-edge Hexagon Lab, the most successful team in NASCAR history is sending a clear message: They’re not just playing the game; they’re redefining it.
Ayrton Senna’s Philosophy Meets NASCAR’s Innovation War
“Each driver has his limits. My limit is a little further than others.” That was Ayrton Senna’s mantra, but it might as well be the guiding principle behind HMS’s relentless pursuit of perfection. While NASCAR operates under some of the tightest regulations in motorsports, teams that master the art of precision engineering still find ways to gain an edge.
With 14 championships, 311 wins, and over 78,000 laps led, Hendrick Motorsports isn’t just a powerhouse—they’re the benchmark. But in an era where NASCAR’s Next Gen car has leveled the playing field with standardized chassis and single-source parts, the battle for innovation has shifted from the shop floor to the microscopic level of engineering precision. That’s where Hexagon, a $31 billion tech giant, comes into play.
The Hexagon Lab: A Game-Changer for NASCAR Engineering
Days ahead of the 2025 Daytona 500, HMS officially unveiled the Hexagon Lab, a state-of-the-art facility designed to fine-tune every component of their race cars with unparalleled precision. This high-tech laboratory is a direct result of a decade-long partnership between HMS and Hexagon, a global leader in metrology hardware and software.
With NASCAR’s Next Gen car severely limiting customization, teams are looking for marginal gains in measurement, fitment, and component integration—the difference between a championship run and an also-ran season. HMS Quality Supervisor Roy Crump highlighted just how crucial Hexagon’s technology has become:
“We took all these components and started measuring every part to better understand what we were looking at. We knew we needed to determine a way to combine and measure parts virtually, and that’s where Hexagon came in. Hexagon has helped us bring better products to the racetrack.”
Simply put, every bolt, panel, and aerodynamic surface on a Hendrick Motorsports car is now examined, tested, and optimized with a level of precision never before seen in NASCAR.
Rick Hendrick’s Bigger Vision: A Tech Empire Beyond NASCAR
While the Hexagon Lab is a massive step forward, Rick Hendrick’s ambitions extend beyond the race track. Just days before the facility’s grand opening, Hendrick announced the separation of Hendrick Motorsports Technical Solutions (HMTS) into a standalone entity.
The newly independent division will operate out of a massive 160,000-square-foot headquarters, focusing on engineering and manufacturing solutions for commercial and government programs. It’s a bold move that not only cements HMS as a NASCAR powerhouse but also positions them as a major player in the wider world of high-tech engineering.
Additionally, Scott Lampe, a longtime HMS executive, has been tapped as President of Advanced Manufacturing, further reinforcing Hendrick’s vision of blending NASCAR’s extreme precision with cutting-edge industry applications.
Can the Hexagon Lab Keep Hendrick Motorsports at the Top in 2025?
The big question now: Will this $31 billion tech-driven investment translate into even more NASCAR dominance? The competition is fiercer than ever, with teams like Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske, and Trackhouse Racing pushing the limits in their own ways. But HMS is making a statement—they’re not just here to win, they’re here to shape the future of NASCAR.
With Hexagon’s cutting-edge technology, a roster of elite drivers, and a relentless pursuit of perfection, Hendrick Motorsports isn’t just fighting for championships in 2025—they’re redefining the game itself.