A partner company of 15-time NASCAR Cup Series championship team Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) recently signed a contract with ICE that included the purchase of more than two dozen Chevrolet vehicles, according to multiple reports Wednesday.

Hendrick Motorsports Technical Solutions, the advanced manufacturing arm of one of auto racing’s most popular companies, underwent a refresh earlier this year and opened a 160,000-square-foot facility as a standalone business entity on the main Hendrick Motorsports campus in Concord, North Carolina – just over the Cabarrus County line from Charlotte.

The $1.5 million contract signed in August called Hendrick Motorsports “uniquely positioned to fulfill this requirement within the necessary timeframe, having confirmed immediate availability of vehicles that fully meet ICE’s specifications.” The company is a separate division of Hendrick Companies from Hendrick Motorsports.

ICE originally authorized $2.25 million for the entire procurement, but ICE purchased the vehicles at a $1.5 million figure, while the remainder was the cost of wrapping and services by other vendors.

RAM PARTNERS WITH KAULIG RACING AS FACTORY TEAM FOR 2026 CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES COMEBACK

That funded 25 Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs to “enhance [DHS’] Title 8 operations in anticipation of surge staffing requirements” from FY-2026 through FY-2029, according to a copy of the contract viewed by Fox News Digital.

Hendrick Motorsports did not respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment, but a Hendrick Motorsports Technical Solutions spokesperson said in a statement to Charlotte’s CBS affiliate that the Chevys were provided to ICE unmodified and the sale was completed in full.

The contract was noncompetitive, as HMS informed the feds that they would be able to fulfill the full order immediately, and the contract cited an “urgent and compelling need” for the vehicles in explaining that aspect of the deal.

KAULIG RACING, RAM UNVEIL UNIQUE FREE AGENT PROGRAM FOR 2026 NASCAR TRUCK SERIES

In a statement to Fox News Digital later Wednesday, a Hendrick Companies spokesperson said that government entities “purchase thousands of vehicles each year from a broad network of automotive dealers, and our organization has sold to federal, state, and local agencies for decades. Earlier this year, we sold 25 standard Chevrolet Tahoes to the federal government.”

“The vehicles were unmodified, and we fulfilled the commercial sale. We do not participate in or control how agencies equip, brand, or use vehicles after purchase.”

The technical solutions arm of HMS was first established in 2019 and has made deals with several large-scale partners, including General Motors’ military subdivision.

In announcing their refreshed technical solutions arm in January, Hendrick Companies President Marshall Carlson said HMS founder Rick Hendrick’s vision “has always been about building for the future.”

“He recognized Hendrick Motorsports Technical Solutions can be a leader in advanced manufacturing, serving customers with ultra-high requirements. His commitment ensures our team is prepared for long-term growth and success.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Hendrick driver Kyle Larson of California, piloting the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, was named the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series champion earlier this month at Phoenix, narrowly beating veteran Joe Gibbs Racing star Denny Hamlin of Virginia and his #11 Progressive Insurance Toyota.

First lady Melania Trump and second lady Usha Vance made their first joint visit Wednesday to meet with military families in North Carolina, thanking them for their service ahead of the holidays.

The wives of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, a former Marine, visited personnel at Camp Lejeune — the largest Marine Corps base on the East Coast — and nearby Marine Corps Air Station New River.

At Lejeune High School, they greeted students and joined small group discussions on artificial intelligence and social media research.

Trump also delivered brief remarks in the gymnasium, expressing gratitude to the families.

MELANIA TRUMP DECLARES ‘THE MOMENT IS NOW’ FOR NEW GLOBAL CHILDREN’S INITIATIVE AT UN

“I want to thank you, all of you, because you are military families behind our nation’s defense, and thank you for your service,” Trump said. “My husband, the president, is sending best regards. We are both thinking of you, and you’re in our thoughts and prayers for holidays, every day, but especially for the holidays.”

MELANIA TRUMP NAMED FOX NATION’S ‘PATRIOT OF THE YEAR’ FOR GLOBAL CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY WORK

Following this visit, the first and second ladies were expected to stop at DeLalio Elementary School before continuing to the Mega Hangar at the Marine Corps Air Station New River, where the pair planned to deliver remarks to troops and their families.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Trump’s remarks were expected to honor the Marine Corps’ 250 years of service, recognize the role of military families, and spotlight her recent focus on emerging technology, including artificial intelligence.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia – A federal judge grilled the Department of Justice Wednesday about whether it mishandled the grand jury indictment against former FBI Director James Comey and asked if interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, who is leading the case, acted at the behest of President Donald Trump.

Judge Michael Nachmanoff found during the hearing in Alexandria, Virginia, that Halligan signed an indictment alleging two charges against Comey but that that document was never presented to the full grand jury, a revelation that could imperil the case if Nachmanoff decides it is enough to delegitimize the indictment.

Nachmanoff directed Halligan, who had no prosecutorial experience before Trump installed her to lead the Eastern District of Virginia in September, to come to the stand, giving her the chance to speak for the first time in the courtroom since her appointment.

COMEY AND JAMES CHALLENGE TRUMP APPOINTEE’S LEGITIMACY IN FEDERAL COURT HEARING

Halligan confirmed that she presented a prior indictment that showed three charges against Comey to the grand jury. The jurors had, however, rejected one of the charges, leading Halligan to later sign a second indictment leaving off that charge.

Tyler Lemons, the North Carolina-based federal prosecutor who argued on behalf of the DOJ, downplayed the issue. Lemons said the indictments were identical and that the second one was created as soon as the grand jury proceedings concluded and merely excised the one charge that the grand jury rejected.

Nachmanoff did not make any decisions about the validity of the indictment from the bench and instead ordered more briefing on the matter.

Comey’s lawyer Michael Dreeben viewed the document debacle as fatal to the case, saying it appears “there is no indictment.” 

The grand jury dispute was part of a broader hearing centered on Comey’s argument that his charges were a product of Trump’s vindictiveness and that the case should be tossed out entirely because of it. Comey was present in the courtroom while Dreeben argued on his behalf.

Nachmanoff, a Biden appointee, asked Dreeben if Halligan was a “puppet” or a “stalking horse” who was doing Trump’s bidding.

Dreeben responded that he would not use those words but that his team believed Halligan was operating at the direction of Trump, rather than independently. Dreeben said Trump had a years-long vendetta against Comey, who has been a vocal opponent of Trump since the president fired him from the FBI in 2017.

Dreeben argued that a directive Trump posted on social media in September to Attorney General Pam Bondi publicly pressuring her to quickly bring charges against several of Trump’s political nemeses, including Comey, contained “tit-for-tat” messaging that proved the indictment was tainted by vengeance.

FEDERAL JUDGE HITS DOJ FOR ‘INDICT FIRST, INVESTIGATE LATER’ APPROACH IN COURT HEARING

Trump had written in the post that he had read that Comey and others were “‘all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done.’”

“We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility.… They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!” Trump wrote.

Dreeben said the post was “effectively an admission that this is a political prosecution.”

Lemons said Trump also told the press he was uninvolved in Comey’s case, but Dreeben said the president “can’t just walk back” his social media post.

Dreeben bolstered his argument by laying out a timeline that showed Halligan, a former insurance lawyer and White House aide, assumed the top prosecutorial role and brought the indictment within four days.

Nachmanoff expressed doubt that Halligan had vetted Comey’s case.

“What independent evaluation could she have done [in four days]?” the judge asked.

He also pressed the DOJ on whether any memo existed that had advised against charging Comey, a question that follows the Trump administration ousting Halligan’s predecessor, Erik Siebert, in part because of his reluctance to prosecute the former FBI director.

Lemons struggled to answer the question before concluding that the memo, if it existed, would be a “privileged matter” that he did not have permission to disclose. He said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s office directed him not to reveal any privileged material.

Meghan Tome contributed to this report.