Veteran NASCAR crew chief Jeff Hensley was hospitalized with sepsis days after the Oct. 9 Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He spent 16 days in the hospital before moving to a rehab facility, and he is expected to make a full recovery. A GoFundMe has raised more than $10,000.
Veteran NASCAR crew chief Jeff Hensley is recovering from a life-threatening illness he suffered after the Craftsman Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He was hospitalized with sepsis days after the Oct. 9 event, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser. His wife, Lynn, said in a social media post that he had sepsis, which stemmed from an infection.
Lynn Hensley said in a Nov. 2 Facebook post that her husband was moved to a rehabilitation facility after 16 days in the hospital. She said he would remain there for the foreseeable future and that sepsis had taken a heavy toll on his 63-year-old body. Hensley, who works for Tricon Garage, is expected to make a full recovery.
Michelle Enfinger, wife of Truck Series driver Grant Enfinger, set up the GoFundMe for the Hensleys on Oct. 30. The fundraiser page says the illness led to an extended hospital stay and unexpected challenges. Within a week of its launch, more than $10,000 had been raised toward a $20,000 goal, with all money going directly to the Hensleys.
Hensley has been a NASCAR crew chief since 1987. He has 33 wins and 375 top-10s across 979 starts in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and Truck Series. He was Grant Enfinger's crew chief for 122 races, winning nine of them. The pairing split before the 2024 season, when Hensley moved to Tricon Garage.
Tricon Garage had said earlier that Hensley would miss the race at Phoenix Raceway because of an illness. Jacob Hampton stepped into the crew chief position for the season's final four races. Separately, Kyle Busch died on May 21 after severe pneumonia triggered sepsis, DIC and hemorrhagic shock.
