[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 182 (Monday, December 7, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S12620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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   SENATE RESOLUTION 371--CONGRATULATING JIMMIE JOHNSON AND HENDRICK 
    MOTORSPORTS FOR WINNING THE 2009 NASCAR SPRING CUP CHAMPIONSHIP

  Mrs. HAGAN (for herself and Mr. Burr) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 371

       Whereas on November 22, 2009, Hendrick Motorsports driver 
     Jimmie Johnson won the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship 
     after finishing in fifth place in the Ford 400 at Homestead-
     Miami Speedway;
       Whereas Jimmie Johnson's victory represents his fourth 
     straight Sprint Cup Championship, a feat that no driver in 
     the 62-year history of NASCAR's premier series had previously 
     been able to accomplish;
       Whereas by capturing 4 Sprint Cup Championships in a row, 
     Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports have now surpassed 
     the standard set by Cale Yarborough, who previously held the 
     record with 3 consecutive NASCAR Championships between 1976 
     and 1978;
       Whereas since the ``Chase for the Sprint Cup'' format began 
     in 2004, Jimmie Johnson has won 18 of the 60 Chase races that 
     have been run, failing to finish only once;
       Whereas Jimmie Johnson won the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup 
     Championship by his widest margin yet, holding a 141-point 
     advantage over his Hendrick teammate, Mark Martin;
       Whereas since its inception in February 2006, the Jimmie 
     Johnson Foundation has been dedicated to helping children, 
     families, and communities in need across the United States, 
     and has awarded grants to schools throughout the State of 
     North Carolina, including--
       (1) Ashley Park Elementary School in Charlotte, North 
     Carolina;
       (2) Collinswood Elementary School in Charlotte, North 
     Carolina;
       (3) East Iredell Elementary School in Statesville, North 
     Carolina;
       (4) J.H. Gunn Elementary School in Charlotte, North 
     Carolina;
       (5) Metro School in Charlotte, North Carolina;
       (6) R.B. McAllister Elementary School in Concord, North 
     Carolina;
       (7) Smithfield Elementary School in Charlotte, North 
     Carolina;
       (8) Third Creek Elementary School in Statesville, North 
     Carolina; and
       (9) University Meadows Elementary School in Charlotte, 
     North Carolina;
       Whereas in 25 years of competition, Hendrick Motorsports 
     has garnered 8 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships, 3 
     NASCAR Camping World Truck Series titles, and 1 NASCAR 
     Nationwide Series crown (formerly known as the NASCAR Busch 
     Series), making it one of the premier organizations in stock-
     car racing;
       Whereas team owner Rick Hendrick is just the second team 
     owner in the modern era of NASCAR to earn more than 180 Cup 
     Series victories;
       Whereas under the Hendrick banner, records have been set 
     for both victories and consistency, with 4 consecutive 
     Southern 500 victories (Jeff Gordon), 6 consecutive road 
     course wins (Gordon), the youngest driver to reach 50 career 
     Cup Series triumphs (Gordon), the youngest driver to win a 
     race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (Ricky Hendrick), 
     the sole driver to win 3 Truck Series championships (Jack 
     Sprague), and the youngest driver to ever win a NASCAR 
     championship (Brian Vickers);
       Whereas all Hendrick race cars are constructed start-to-
     finish at their 100-plus acre complex, and more than 550 
     engines are built or rebuilt on-site in Concord, North 
     Carolina each year, with the team leasing some of these 
     engines to other NASCAR outfits;
       Whereas the stock car industry has a rich heritage in North 
     Carolina, and as the home to numerous race teams, suppliers, 
     and world-class race tracks, North Carolina has a competitive 
     advantage in this industry;
       Whereas as the first race team to implement professional 
     pit crews, Hendrick employs on-site fitness trainers and 
     operates a fully equipped gym to assure that all personnel 
     are in shape and ready for race day; and
       Whereas more than 500 employees call Hendrick Motorsports 
     home, with day-to-day activities including management of 
     HendrickMotorsports.com and a 15,000 square foot museum and 
     team store, as well as marketing, public relations, sponsor 
     services, licensing, show cars, merchandising, and much more: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports 
     for winning the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship;
       (2) recognizes the achievements of the owner, driver, pit 
     crew, and support staff, whose perseverance and dedication to 
     excellence helped propel the race team to win the 
     championship; and
       (3) respectfully requests the Secretary of the Senate to 
     transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to--
       (A) the team owner of Hendrick Motorsports, Rick Hendrick;
       (B) the crew chief of the Lowes Race Team, Chad Knaus; and
       (C) the driver of the Lowes Race Team, Jimmie Johnson.

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