Sullivan and Emerick eke out 2023 engine builder title
A championship build for the ages recently took place on the campus of Hendrick Motorsports in Concord, North Carolina, as Hendrick Automotive Group’s Bill Sullivan and Hendrick Motorsports Danny Emerick won the 2023 Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown presented by Valvoline by nine tenths of a second. It was one of the closest finishes in the 22-year history of the competition.
With a final build time of 22:56.46, Emerick and Hendrick Certified Master Technician Bill Sullivan of Hendrick Toyota Wilmington (NC), bested Hendrick Motorsports’ Scott Vester and build partner Phil Seaton (Hendrick Toyota Merriam (Kansas)). Vester and Seaton clocked in at 22:57:37.
Pictured: Bill Sullivan of Hendrick Toyota Willmington and Danny Emerick of Hendrick Motorsports
With a new NAPA toolbox and brand new set of tools on the line, Emerick and Sullivan overcame a costly mistake half way through the build to capture the title. The victory now ties Emerick with Vester for the most wins in Showdown history at six.
“Bill was very encouraging of me out there,” said Emerick, who had competed against Vester in three previous finals (2016, 2017 and 2022). “I felt like I set us back a bit. Bill said that things were going to be fine. We put our heads down and went to work. ‘Man, I’m so proud of him.
“They are all number one, but right now this is No. 1 and it’s going to be hard to beat,” Emerick added. “And I know (Bill’s) teammates back in Wilmington we’re watching and cheering him on.”
This was Sullivan’s fourth competition as a Hendrick Certified Master Technician.
“Never even thought I would get to a final when I first came here,” Sullivan said. “This is great. When you (build an engine) as fast as you can, you always run into some sort of problem.”
Vester and Seaton led the way in qualifying, recording a 23 minute, 31 second build early on the first day of competition. Emerick and Sullivan, part of the first group of qualifying teams, grabbed the second championship build spot with a time of 23 minutes, 58 seconds.
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An Important Legacy
Named for legendary Hendrick Motorsports engine builder and leader, Randy Dorton, the annual Showdown recognizes achievement, communication and teamwork. It brings together teammates from Hendrick Automotive Group and Hendrick Motorsports in a way that highlights the shared values of the two organizations.
One Engine Builder Showdown
Build teams assemble 358-cubic-inch Chevrolet engines similar to the fuel-injected engines that run every NASCAR Cup Series weekend. The competition challenges teammates by working with 243 parts in total, building an engine from block to completion.
Pictured: Phil Seaton of Hendrick Toyota Merriam and Scott Vester of Hendrick Motorsports
Annually, the Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown presented by Valvoline pairs 12 Hendrick Certified Master Technicians with 12 team members from the Hendrick Motorsports engine department. Taking place over two days, each team performs a qualifying build and the two quickest teams with the least number of penalties move to the final. The teams are selected via blind draw the night before competition begins.
The competitors from Hendrick Automotive Group who also have this year’s best customer service scores; Hendrick Certified Master Technicians pass a yearly, one-of-a-kind Hendrick Automotive Group-tailored Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) exam.
You Can Compete Too!
To learn more about how you can become a Hendrick Automotive Group service technician, and one day become eligible to compete in this prestigious competition, check out your next opportunity at Hendrick Careers.
Pictured: Host Ralph Sheheen, in-competition analysis Jimmy Thomson and host Kim Coon
An hour-long, on-demand presentation of the event will be available at Racing America during the holiday season. Hosted by Ralph Sheheen and Kim Coon, in-competition analysis is provided by Jason Sehorn and Jimmy Thomson. Hendrick Automotive Group vice president of variable operations, Roger Mesiemore and Valvoline national account manager Brian Trochim are breaking down build details in the Valvoline Engine Shop.
Stay tuned for more information on the 2024 Showdown in the coming weeks!
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