hearing there will be some sort of Hendrick Motorsports announcement this afternoon, will post when I hear it — UPDATE: According to sources close to the situation, expect an official press release later this afternoon detailing that former #5 crewchief Gary DeHart is coming back into the Hendrick organization to once again be the lead wrench with driver Terry Labonte. The Labonte/DeHart pairing brought Hendrick Motorsports the Winston Cup championship in 1996. DeHart had left the #5 in 1997 to open his own chassis-building business. His former business shop is likely to become the new location of the Jeff Gordon BGN team prepping cars for young Ricky Hendrick. (That’s probably not going to be in the press release.) Current #5 crewchief Andy Graves is being offered a re-assignment opportunity at Hendrick. Although, country.com Motorsports also heard (along with anyone within earshot of Robbie Gordon) that Gordon had offered young Graves the opportunity to crew his new Winston Cup team. That seems unlikely( TNN Motorsports Site ) — UPDATE 2: One of NASCARs more successful tandems, veteran crew chief Gary DeHart and driver Terry Labonte are back together again. DeHart, who as crew chief helped lead Labonte to his second Winston Cup Championship in 1996, returns to Hendrick Motorsports as team manager/crew chief of the #5 Kelloggs/Quaker State/GMAC/Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet team. The 1996 title was the second time DeHart was involved with a Labonte championship. He was chief fabricator for the Billy Hagan team when Labonte won his first title in 1984. DeHart takes over for Andy Graves, who has accepted another key position at Hendrick Motorsports working with all the teams. He has served as crew chief of the #5 team since 1997( Hendrick Motorsports Site )
