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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 371 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 371

Congratulating Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports for winning the 
                  2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 7, 2009

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Congratulating Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports for winning the 
                  2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

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.
                                 <all>
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