As Kyle Larson racked up his first-ever Southern 500 win at Darlington, the 2021 Cup Series champions’s landslide win also marked Hendrick Motorsports a monumental achievement. Besides being the sports’ winningest team, the proud Chevy camp, known for its squadron of dominant drivers and solid, competent crew, got its name etched down in history as Larson’s #5 Chevy crossed the checkered flag in flying colors.

The Hendrick Motorsports engine department won No. 500 when its once-in-a-generation talent made the team proud, acing the 1.3-mile track in the playoff opener. Now that’s something you don’t see every day. Not only is the team a force to be reckoned with, but over the years it has evolved to be one of the organization’s elite with solid fundamentals, even prompting NASCAR to partner up for its maiden Le Mans debut. And it hasn’t always been an easy cruise for the Chevrolet camp. In fact, it took countless hours of grind and dozens of engineers to get the company where it is today. Amongst that, one name has stood out, as Rick Hendrick himself would call him, “the pillar of the company.“

Chad Knaus’ iconic testimony to the departed engine builder

Before the sport was known for its glam and glitter, NASCAR was home to some of the most hard-working and talented individuals who would go to any extreme to achieve the desired results. One such engine builder who laid the foundation for Hendrick Motorsports to be the behemoth it is today is Randy Dorton.

One stop at the company’s headquarters will educate you on how dear the late engineer was to the team. Throughout its halls, the photos of the departed builder and the sound of the CNC machines are reminders of his legacy. As the bossman, Mr. H himself describes Dorton: “Randy directed the engine shop, but he did more than just the engines; he was involved in building the organization.”

Back in 1984, after acquiring Dorton’s engine company, Competition Engines, Hendrick invited him to join the team then known as All-Star Racing. Two years later, Dorton helped the team win nine NASCAR titles, including the Craftsmen Truck Series, Cup Series, and Winston Cup, earning him the title of “NASCAR’s Engine Builder of the Year.“

Recently, the team rolled out an emotional tribute to the late legend, where Jimmie Johnson‘s legendary crew chief, Chad Knaus, dropped the revelation. He said, “Truth be told I probably wouldn’t be here in this role that I was if it wasn’t meant for Randy(Dorton).” 

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Dorton served as the Director of Engine Operations for Hendrick Motorsports until his passing in 2004 in a tragic plane crash just off Martinsville. To sum up the late engineer’s work, the team is built on the foundation of Darton’s work as the head of engine development.

Jimmie Johnson recalls his great friend and mentor from Hendrick Motorsports

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Ask any ardent NASCAR fan who their favorite driver is, and probably the answer comes down to two names: Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Both, in their prime, were a class apart compared to the current generation of drivers. While one is a 4-time Cup Series champion with excellent know-how of the sport, the other was the sport’s “Superman,” with 7 titles to his name.

The iconic combo of Johnson-Knaus combo wouldn’t be this way if wasn’t for Dorton as JJ himself recalls his relationship with him. “Randy was a great friend, he really spent a handful of years mentoring me and bringing me along. He helped me in so many ways personally, professionally and I know he did that for many others,” said Johnson.

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Terry Labonte pretty much played Dorton’s role; as he said, “he had a lot to do with his place other than engines.” Putting things into simple terms, Dorton’s work at Hendrick Motorsports will never be forgotten, as his early efforts in shaping up the team and setting up adequate pieces of machinery all played a pivotal role in the team’s development, as Gordon later goes on to say.

“I got to be the beneficiary of it(engine development) and the one thing I never had to worry about was horsepower.”