One of NASCAR’s most successful crew chiefs, Hendrick Motorsports Vice President of Competition Chad Knaus, was named the recipient of the venerated 2025 Smokey Yunick Award prior to Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL™ 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Named after the legendary mechanic and innovator Henry "Smokey" Yunick, the annual recognition was instituted in 1997 to recognize an individual from humble beginnings who demonstrated exceptional innovation and made a major impact in the world of motorsports. Yunick passed away in 2001, and Charlotte Motor Speedway has continued the award in his memory.

Knaus joins a legendary list of NASCAR greats who have received the honor, including Ralph Moody, Ray Evernham, Dale Inman, Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick, Waddell Wilson, Larry McReynolds, Ernie Elliott and Harry Hyde.

Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith presented the award to Knaus before the green flag of the eighth running of the Bank of America ROVAL ™ 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the track where his No. 48 team found so much success during his 20-year career on top of the pit box.

"This means a lot to me," Knaus said on Sunday. "I have been a Smokey Yunick fan for my career, quite honestly, and the biggest reason is because of the stemming of invention and pushing the boundaries – that if there's not a rule, try to exploit that opportunity. When I was a young man, the stories, and the lore of Smokey Yunick, was there. That was a bit of a fuel for me – it was something that I wanted to try to create. 

"That was something that was really cool for me. It's unfortunate I never got the opportunity to meet [Yunick]."

A seven-time Cup Series champion, Knaus was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2024. Over the course of a 20-year career, Knaus earned 82 career wins – 81 with fellow NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson and one with Charlotte-native William Byron. Knaus and Johnson scored eight points paying victories and four All-Star Race triumphs at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 

A native of Rockford, Illinois, Knaus grew up helping his father, John, an accomplished short-track racer throughout the Midwest. At 14, the younger Knaus served as crew chief when his father captured the Rockford Speedway track championship. He began his NASCAR career in 1991 as a member of Stanley Smith's race team, and has also worked for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, Tyler Jet Motorsports and Melling Racing.

Since 2023, Knaus has also been an active board member with the Charlotte chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities.