Rick Hendrick has no doubts about providing engines and chassis for rival NASCAR teams

Stewart's team is one of several to buy in chassis and engines from one of the bigger teams, and he went on to win the title while Hendrick's top driver was Jimmie Johnson in sixth.

However, Hendrick says he has no problem with other teams beating his with the same equipment, and he called on his own team to raise its game to match Stewart-Haas in the future.

"I've been over this with my guys before - I'd feel a whole lot different if we got beat by some equipment and we thought 'well, they've got better motors, they've got a better chassis than we do'," said Hendrick.

"We've got to go figure out how to make this better and better. Getting beat by your own stuff - you've got to look in the mirror and say 'Okay, they had the same thing we did and they whipped us. Now we've got to go to work'."

Hendrick also paid tribute to Stewart, his crew chief Darian Grubb and team co-owner Gene Haas for putting in a championship-winning performance.

"You've just got to give it to those guys and that whole organisation," he added. "They just turned it on there at the end [of the season], and they were not going to be denied.

"I think the people make the difference. Again, it answers some questions for you. You don't have to look at the motor shop, you don't have to look at the engine shop.

"You've just got to look at the people, what adjustments they're making and the commitments of the drivers, and how bad do you really want it? I personally think it's not a bad thing."