Hendrick promotes Carlson to president and COO

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) -Hendrick Motorsports has promoted Marshall Carlson to president and chief operating officer.

The role of president had been held by team owner Rick Hendrick's brother, John, from 1998 until his 2004 death in a plane crash. It had gone unfilled until Carlson's promotion Wednesday.

Carlson has overseen the day-to-day operations at HMS as team general manager since 2005.

He started at Hendrick sweeping floors as part of a summer internship, and gradually moved through the ranks following his full-time hiring in 1997. Carlson spent time working for Hendrick Automotive Group, but was moved back to Motorsports following the 2004 plane crash that killed several Hendrick executives.