Last updated: October 2026
Hendrick Motorsports brought in 44 interns across 19 departments in summer 2026, across the NASCAR team and its defense-manufacturing affiliate, Hendrick Technical Solutions (HTS). It posts many of those roles months before they start: on 3 October 2026 its Workday boards carried 10 open intern roles, including a Design Engineering Intern for a 6-to-9-month assignment beginning in spring 2027, posted back in May. Most roles run 5 to 12 months, co-op style, and most ask for a 3.0 GPA and at least sophomore standing. Here's the cycle in plain words: Hendrick hires interns for spring, fall and year-long terms, and the roles that cover summer 2027 are open now.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Hendrick Motorsports Workday board (race team and HTS). One HTS role, Operational Excellence Intern, is only on the Hendrick Careers site |
| Application window (2027–28) | Open now: 10 roles, including Spring/Summer 2027 Design Engineering and Spring 2027 Project and Race Support, which both cover summer 2027. Summer-only roles for summer 2027 expected ~Nov 2026 to Feb 2027 (low confidence) |
| Rolling? | Yes. No req states a deadline; some have been open since May and June 2026, so they can close without notice once filled |
| Eligibility | Students in a four-year degree program (engineering for technical roles). Minimum GPA 3.0 on most reqs (2.8 on Racing Performance). Sophomore standing; junior for Project and Race Support. HTS roles are ITAR-restricted |
| Duration | 5 to 12 months on most posted roles (6 to 9 months for Design Engineering); summer-only interns join in a separate wave |
| Compensation | Rates not published in any req. The HTS Design & Testing req calls itself a paid internship |
| Return offers | Conversion rate not published. The Design Engineering req says many interns look at joining the team after graduation |
| Locations | Concord campus, 4400 Papa Joe Hendrick Blvd, Charlotte, NC; on-site, with race-weekend support on some roles |
| # Programs | 10 live roles: race team 6 (design, racing performance, race engineering, project and race support, electrical, accounting) and HTS 4 (accounting, design and testing, electrical, operational excellence) |
Ten Hendrick intern roles were open on 3 October 2026 with no deadline, and two of them run through summer 2027. Summer-only 2027 roles are expected later and are a low-confidence projection.
Hendrick's engineering reqs ask for data analysis, reporting and hands-on technical work you can show. Externships are short, remote programs where you complete a real project for a real company, most commonly over 8 weeks. The Breaking Games SQL Database Architecture Externship fits the race data and reporting roles, and the Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense Externship fits the electrical and connected-hardware work. Explore all Externships.
What Is a Hendrick Motorsports Internship?
A Hendrick Motorsports internship is an on-site co-op or summer role at the NASCAR team's Concord, North Carolina campus or at Hendrick Technical Solutions, its separate advanced-manufacturing company focused on defense work. The team says it has over 500 teammates, and around 900 with HTS. Interns work in departments from design engineering, race engineering and electrical engineering to accounting and operational excellence. In the team's 2026 intern feature, its technical director describes simulator and race-data work feeding recommendations to race engineers, and the engine shop has interns tear down a research engine before designing a small part through to testing. Interns also get an orientation, group events and exit interviews that shape the next class.
When Do Hendrick Motorsports Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
Hendrick doesn't run one application window. It posts co-op roles for named terms, such as Fall 2026, Spring 2027 and Spring/Summer 2027, roughly 2 to 11 months before they start, and keeps them open until filled: the Spring/Summer 2027 design role went up on 6 May 2026, about 10 months ahead, and the Spring 2027 project and race support role on 29 June. A separate summer wave brings in interns for the summer only. We don't have dated posting history for summer-only roles, so the expected window for them is a low-confidence projection.
Applications are open right now: 10 intern roles across the race team and HTS. The Spring/Summer 2027 Design Engineering and Spring 2027 Project and Race Support roles both cover summer 2027, and the 12-month and 9-to-12-month roles start sooner.
The roles that start in spring 2027 have to be filled first, so this is the window for them. None has a deadline, and some have been open since May, so apply before they close.
Summer-only roles for summer 2027 are expected, though we have no dated history for them. Check both Workday sites every couple of weeks.
Spring co-op terms begin, including the 6-to-9-month Design Engineering role and the 12-month Project and Race Support role, which run through summer.
The summer wave arrives: 44 interns joined across 19 departments in summer 2026. Hendrick doesn't publish a conversion rate, but some interns come back for a second stint.
How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and daily posting data. Treat them as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The company's official careers page is always the most current source. If a role is posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.
Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open
Hendrick's mode is rolling. None of the 10 live reqs carries a deadline, and the roles are filled one at a time, so the date that matters is the day a role fills, which you can't see in advance. Some reqs have sat open since May and June 2026, which means they could close any week, and every req that does close drops off the board without warning. Workday's machine endpoint returned "permission denied" for an older HTS Mechanical Engineering Intern req when we checked it in September, the sign of a role that existed and shut. The safe move is to apply as soon as a role fits your term, and to put your racing background where a reviewer sees it first.
Which Hendrick Motorsports Internship Programs Should You Target?
Hendrick's live roles split between the race team and HTS, and the terms differ by role, so check the duration before you apply.
| Role | Company and term | Duration | Key skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design Engineering Intern | Race team; Spring/Summer 2027 | 6–9 months | CAD, structures, test procedures, blueprint reading |
| Project and Race Support Engineer | Race team; Spring 2027 | 5–12 months | Vehicle dynamics, data analysis, spreadsheets, race-day support |
| Racing Performance Engineer and Race Engineer Intern | Race team; Fall 2026 and open term | 5–12 months (Racing Performance) | Data acquisition, MATLAB or Simulink, setup knowledge, FSAE |
| Electrical Engineering Intern | Race team and HTS | 6–12 months | Circuit design, microcontrollers, wiring diagrams, oscilloscopes |
| Accounting Intern | Race team (9–12 months) and HTS (12 months) | 9–12 months | Excel, reconciliations, month-end close |
| Design & Testing and Operational Excellence Intern | HTS (defense manufacturing) | Up to 12 months | SolidWorks, Catia or NX; Lean Six Sigma, ISO 9001:2015 |
Search the Hendrick Motorsports Workday board and the team's careers page. Ignore the dealership "Intern" roles on the Hendrick Careers site: those belong to Hendrick Automotive Group, a different business.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
Hendrick's reqs share a few rules, with real differences between race-team and HTS roles:
• Enrollment: a student in a four-year degree program, usually engineering or a technical field. Design Engineering asks for full-time status (12 semester hours) and 30 completed hours before the start.
• GPA: a 3.0 minimum on the Race Engineer, Accounting and Project and Race Support reqs; 2.8 on Racing Performance; 2.8 or 3.0 by area on Design Engineering.
• Class standing: at least sophomore (second year) on most roles; junior (third year) for Project and Race Support.
• Work authorization: race-team roles require US work authorization. HTS roles fall under ITAR and need US citizens, permanent residents or other protected individuals; Design & Testing asks for US citizens.
• Schedule: on-site in Concord, with flexible hours and race-weekend support on several roles.
Can International Students Apply?
For race-team roles, possibly, if you're authorized to work in the US. Hendrick's 2026 intern feature mentions interns from Czechia and Scotland. HTS roles are a different story: they fall under US export-control rules (ITAR), so they're limited to US citizens, permanent residents and other protected individuals. International students should target the race-team roles and confirm work authorization early.
What Skills Does Hendrick Motorsports Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
Hendrick's 10 live reqs ask for engineering fundamentals plus the soft skills a race shop runs on. Problem solving and analysis: 9 of 10 ask for problem-solving skills and 6 for data analysis and reporting, from fuel-mileage calculations to pre- and post-event reports. Communication and detail: 7 ask for written or oral communication and 5 for attention to detail. Racing experience: the Race Engineer req tells applicants to make sure their FSAE and racing background is fully shown on the résumé.
What Hendrick Motorsports looks for in interns
Skills across 10 Hendrick Motorsports intern & analyst job descriptions · live US reqs, October 2026
Method: full-text read of all 10 intern requisitions live on Hendrick's two Workday sites on 3 October 2026 (6 race team, 4 HTS), pulled from the boards' machine endpoint. Generic uses of "team" and the company name were excluded. Ten reqs is a small base, so treat the bars as direction, not precision.
How Is Demand for Engineering Interns Moving Right Now?
Mechanical engineering intern postings · Sep vs Aug 2026
vs 207 in August
Most engineering employers opened summer 2027 roles in September. Hendrick's co-op roles for 2027 are already live too, so apply there now alongside the fall wave elsewhere.
Daily US job-posting counts, Sep 1–30 vs Aug 1–31, 2026. Covers under half of US postings; shows direction, not market size. Pay = median of employer-published ranges only (87 postings in September, 36 in August).
Build These Skills Before You Apply
Each skill below comes from a live Hendrick req and maps to a remote Externship you can finish while you apply.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| Data analysis & reporting | Race Engineer and Project and Race Support: data analysis, pre- and post-event reports | ARCEH Children's Environmental Health Analytics |
| Databases for test and setup data | Racing Performance: record setup changes in a database; proficient database management | Breaking Games SQL Database Architecture |
| Continuous improvement | HTS Operational Excellence: continuous improvement and Lean Six Sigma coursework preferred | Amazon Fulfillment Center Operational Strategy & People Analytics |
| Financial analysis | Accounting Intern: month-end reconciliations, Excel and spreadsheet creation | Attronica Financial Planning & Analysis |
| Electrical and connected hardware | Electrical Engineering Intern: circuit design, microcontrollers, controls and programming | Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense |
An Externship won't replace FSAE or Baja on a Hendrick application, but it adds a finished data or engineering project you can explain in detail.
What Is the Hendrick Motorsports Application and Interview Process Like?
Hendrick doesn't publish its interview steps. This is what the reqs and the team's own pages show:
1. Check both Workday sites. Most roles sit on the Hendrick Motorsports board, but the HTS Operational Excellence Intern is only on the Hendrick Careers site. Skip the dealership roles there.
2. Match the term. Each req names a term (Fall 2026, Spring 2027, Spring/Summer 2027, 12 months). Apply only to terms you can commit to on-site in Concord.
3. Put racing first on your résumé. The Race Engineer req asks applicants to show their complete FSAE and racing background.
4. Interview and offer. The steps aren't published. Expect questions on the technical skills your req lists and on your availability for race weekends.
Relocation and housing aren't mentioned in any req, so plan for the cost of living near Charlotte for the length of the term.
What Students on Reddit Say
Reddit threads on NASCAR team internships agree on how people get in, and Hendrick comes up by name.
When a UK engineering intern asked how to land a NASCAR team internship, the advice was that it's mostly who you know, so reach out directly, and that you'd likely need to move to North Carolina without the team paying to relocate you. One reply simply linked Hendrick's Workday board.
A former traveling race engineer and others told a future mechanical engineering student that teams see plenty of engineering graduates with zero racing experience. Their advice was to join Formula SAE, volunteer at a local short track and skip paid racing trade schools.
Someone who turned a motorsports internship into a full-time engineering job said there are three ways in: know someone, stand out in FSAE, or get lucky. The student asking said they'd applied to Hendrick's Project Engineer Intern role the week it opened.
How Do You Stand Out at Hendrick Motorsports?
Three moves. First, lead with racing work. Hendrick's Race Engineer req asks applicants to show their full FSAE and racing background, and Reddit's consensus is that teams see many engineering graduates who've never touched a race car, so put your Formula SAE, Baja or short-track work in the top third of your résumé. Second, show you can handle data. Race engineering, project support and performance roles all ask for data analysis and reporting, and one names MATLAB and Simulink, so bring a project where you collected data, analyzed it and made a call. Third, pick the right company and term. HTS roles need US-person status under ITAR, and every role names a duration, so apply where you're eligible and can commit for the full term. Hendrick doesn't publish an applicant count or a conversion rate, but two of the interns in its 2026 feature were on their second stint.
What Other Companies Should You Consider?
If you're aiming at Hendrick, these organizations sit closest in racing and the auto industry.
- NASCARthe sanctioning body, with business and operations internshipsGuide →
- General MotorsChevrolet's parent; Hendrick races ChevroletsGuide →
- FordNASCAR manufacturer with large engineering internship classesGuide →
- ToyotaNASCAR manufacturer with engineering and business internshipsGuide →
- Formula 1the global series; most team engineering roles sit in EuropeGuide →
Our sports internships summer 2027 guide maps league, team, motorsports and media programs in one place.
FAQ
Can I still apply for a summer 2026 Hendrick Motorsports internship?
No. Summer 2026 is over, and its 44 interns finished in August. What's open now are co-op roles: on 3 October 2026 Hendrick had 10 intern roles live, including Spring/Summer 2027 Design Engineering and Spring 2027 Project and Race Support, which both run through summer 2027.
When should I apply for a Hendrick internship for summer 2027?
Now, if you can take a longer term: two open roles start in spring 2027 and run through summer. Summer-only roles are expected around November 2026 to February 2027, but we have no dated history for them, so check both Workday sites every couple of weeks.
Does Hendrick review applications on a rolling basis?
Yes. None of the 10 live reqs lists a deadline, and roles are filled one at a time. Some have been open since May and June 2026, so they could close any week without notice. Apply as soon as a role fits your term rather than waiting for a date.
How long are Hendrick Motorsports internships?
Most posted roles run 5 to 12 months, co-op style: Design Engineering is 6 to 9 months, Project and Race Support 5 to 12, and the accounting roles 9 to 12. Hendrick also brings in a separate summer-only wave, and some interns come back for a second stint.
What GPA and class standing does Hendrick require?
Most reqs set a 3.0 minimum GPA, though Racing Performance accepts 2.8 and Design Engineering 2.8 or 3.0 depending on the area. You need at least sophomore standing on most roles and junior standing for Project and Race Support, in a four-year degree program.
Can international students apply to Hendrick?
For race-team roles, yes, if you're authorized to work in the US; the 2026 class included interns from Czechia and Scotland. Hendrick Technical Solutions roles fall under ITAR, so they're limited to US citizens, permanent residents and other protected individuals, and Design & Testing asks for US citizens.
Are Hendrick Motorsports internships paid?
Hendrick doesn't publish intern pay rates; none of the 10 live reqs states one, and North Carolina has no pay-transparency law. The HTS Design & Testing req calls itself a paid internship with a chance of extension or full-time placement. Housing and relocation aren't mentioned.
What experience helps most for a Hendrick internship?
Formula SAE, Baja SAE or other hands-on racing work. The Race Engineer req tells applicants to show their full FSAE and racing background, and 9 of 10 live reqs ask for problem solving. Data analysis, Excel and CAD round it out, depending on the role.
Hendrick's co-op roles for 2027 are open now and fill one at a time. Apply to the term you can commit to, and if you want a finished data project to talk through, a remote Externship takes about 5 to 10 hours a week.
About the Author
Bifei Wang has spent 17 years focused on human flow and the growth of young professionals, spanning international education, career training and coaching, and recruitment process outsourcing. Over 7 years at Extern, he has had one-on-one sessions with thousands of students exploring careers in consulting, finance, tech, marketing, and data, giving him a firsthand view of how the job market has shifted for early-career professionals and what it actually takes to break in.
