HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS
Team Profile Of The Week
Josh Hodges is a 16 year old, New Mexico native, who has been taking the ASCS Southwest division by storm, and has already tasted victory in 2011.
Josh began racing at the age of 7, and has became quite the accomplished racer ever since. He has won 4 Quarter Midget Championships, 2009 National 360 Wing Rookie of The Year, 2009 ASCS Rookie of The Year, and he is also the youngest driver to ever win an ASCS feature.
The Hodges family race team consists of his parents, Jack and Linda. His brother Jeremy, and close family friend Mark Rosborough. Sponsors include Benic Enterprises, Integra by Benic Shocks, Napa Auto Parts, Wilwood Brakes, K & N Filters, ButlerBuilt Seat Systems, Mesilla Valley Transportation, FK Rod Ends, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, The Oil Medics, Bell Racing Helmets, Hinchman Racing Uniforms, Ortega's Appliance, Hodges Automotive, Cabinet Door Store, Conroy Pneu Control, Wesmar Racing Engines, Wynn's Products, Hot Head Engine Heaters, Tim Palmer Graphic Design, Action Powder Coating, and Herrera Motorsports
Goals for the 2011 season include winning the ASCS Southwest Championship, Scoring more wins than last year, and becoming a better all around driver.
Josh stated that he has his mind on the Western World. "The Western World is really cool, it challenges me as a driver getting to go double duty, with and without the wing" Hodges added.
Benic Enterprises would like to wish Josh and his family the best of luck during the 2011 season as we continue watching the Young Gun turn heads.
RW Motorsports stationed in Fairmount, Indiana and is owned by Steve Weirich and Mario Rotondo. Drivers are Brad Kuhn and Jerry Coons Jr. The crew is made up of Scott Benic, Darr Lawson, and JC Bayless. Primary sponsors include Rotondo Weirich, Fontana Automotive, Champion Brands, Gaerte Engines, Hoosier, and Weld Racing. Major Accomplishments include being the 2008 USAC Silver Crown Champions, 2009 USAC National Midget Champions, and 2010 Indiana Midget Week Champions.
In 2010 RW Motorsports had a very interesting year. They started the year fast at USA Raceway in Tucson, AZ in both the Midget and Silver Crown cars. They had their good times, winning the Hoosier Hundred, Being a Midget Week Champion, and winning over 15 races out of the RW Motorsports shop. Then came the bad times, Putting on an incredible display of speed and maneuvering at the “Hut 100” to have a mechanical failure cost them the race, dominating the first half of the “Ted Horn 100” at DuQuoin’s Magic Mile to still come up short at the end, and how could anyone forget, the truly sad day that was the “Sumar Classic” at Terre Haute. RW Finished their season on a high note in the Silver Crown series, with an emotional win of the “Rollie Beale 150” at Toledo Speedway.
Goals for 2011 include: Winning the 2011 USAC Midget and Silver Crown Championships, being competitive every time a car is on the track, winning back to back Hoosier 100’s, Rollie Beale 150’s, and Indiana Midget Week. The team would also like to win such races as The Sumar Classic, Hut 100, Belleville Midget Nationals, Indiana Midget Week opener at Gas City, and the Night Before the 500 at Lucas Oil Raceway. Another, and possibly the best goal for 2011 came from the car chief of Brad Kuhn’s 17B, JC Bayless, who said “No Mechanical Failures” was his primary goal.
Benic Enterprises looks forward to another year of providing quality racing shocks for the RW team as we watch them continue on their efforts of winning USAC Championships.
The Team Profile of the week is the Fortville, Indiana based team of Hendrick Motorsports. The Hendrick family has been involved in motorsports for 15 years, racing Quarter Midgets, Mini Sprints, and Sprint Cars. The team is made up of the 20 year old driver, Jonathan, his 17 year old brother Justin, and crew chief Brad Benic. Sponsors include Hendrick Pool and Lawn Service, Simpson, Benic Enterprises, Earl's Indy, Carrara Custom Powder Coating, Hoosier, and Hinchman Racing Uniforms.
In 2010 Jonathan won a Friday night feature at Bloomington Speedway, and also claimed victory in the Jack Hewitt Classic at Waynesfield. Hendrick also won Rookie of the Year honors in the MSCS Series, as well as a 3rd place finish in the MSCS championship point standings.
Goals for 2011 consist of winning as many races as possible, and running in the top 10 in points in the USAC National Sprint Car Series, as well as contend for Rookie of the Year honors.
When asked what race he was looking forward to, Jonathan replied "The first USAC race at Eldora. We were fast at the 4-Crown up until we crashed while we were running around the top 5. I feel like we can have some really good success there."
Some career highlights include winning the 2005 Kenyon Midget Championship, winning the Jack Hewitt Classic, and making the A-Main at the Chili Bowl in only his 2nd midget start.
RW MOTORSPORTS
JOSH HODGES
