On Saturday evening, Eddie D’Hondt, a longtime spotter in the NASCAR Cup Series for Hendrick Motorsports announced that he will no longer serve as the spotter for 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion Chase Elliott during the 2024 season.
D’Hondt revealed the end of his tenure with the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team (formerly the No. 24 team) via a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“Been a helluva run.. 12 yrs, 26 wins, 2020 Champs. Thank you to: Mr. Hendrick, Jeff Gordon, Chase Elliott, Alan Gustafson,” The post read. “468 races together, 26 wins & a [championship]. Lastly, my dude Kevin Hamlin (love emoji). A career to many, a wonderful lifetime memory, for us all. Excited for what’s next.”
Been a helluva run.. 12yrs, 26 wins, 2020 Champs?
Thank you to:
Mr. Hendrick @JeffGordonWeb @chaseelliott
Alan Gustafson?468 races together, 26 wins & a?. Lastly, my dude Kevin Hamlin.?A career to many, a wonderful lifetime memory, for us all.
Excited for what’s next. ? pic.twitter.com/Z888xmjSYC
— TheEddieD’ (@TheEddieDHondt) December 3, 2023
Notably, D’Hondt did not utilize the word retirement in his post, and he stated his excitement for what’s next, which would lead you to believe he will remain working within NASCAR.
A Hendrick Motorsports representative confirmed D’Hondt’s departure from the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team to TobyChristie.com, but could not confirm any other details about D’Hondt’s future, including whether he will remain with the race team in 2024.
D’Hondt teamed up with Alan Gustafson and driver Jeff Gordon at the start of the 2012 season. Gordon racked up 8 wins over a five-season stretch with D’Hondt as his spotter. When Gordon retired from full-time competition following the 2016 NASCAR Cup Series season, D’Hondt was paired with Chase Elliott.
The pairing of Elliott, D’Hondt and Gustafson has proven to be a potent one over the last eight seasons as the combination has produced 18 victories and a championship in NASCAR Cup Series competition.
If D’Hondt returns as a spotter for another driver in 2024, that new driver will gain a spotter with a massive wealth of knowledge. If D’Hondt opts to retire from spotting altogether, he has cemented his legacy as one of the best of his era atop the spotter’s stand.
