Goodwrench took to the airwaves in 1977 as a way to market General Motors franchised dealers' service departments, replacing a patchwork of separate GM-divisional offerings.

At the time, GM marketed vehicles in the US under the Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC brands.

The program was backed with a national advertising campaign which featured the iconic Mr. Goodwrench, as the helpful mechanic who could fix whatever ailed your vehicle.

From 1988 until 2005, GM Goodwrench Service Plus was the primary sponsor for Richard Childress Racing (RCR) in NASCAR.

In 2008, after a 22-year partnership, GM Goodwrench ended its sponsorship with NASCAR and Richard Childress Racing, as a result of budget cuts from General Motors.