Hamilton says Mercedes a long way off pace, Ten Hag must learn from Mourinho to ensure Man United's Carabao Cup win is just the start, Betting tips for Week 26 English Premier League games and more, LIVE Transfer Talk: Bayern still keen on Kane despite new Choupo-Moting contract. ", "Well " Hendrick continued. Now that we dont have him with us anymore, that race is even more of a treasure, Linda Hendrick said. We wouldn't have taken that plane. You start playing [mind] games with yourself.". She wants to be in the business. He was 24 years old. I was just crushed. Winning one race didn't change that. Hendrick's influence increased sales to make the once troubled location become the region's most profitable. When John Hendrick took over control of the company, he admitted he knew That tenure had started out so poorly that the car salesman had nearly closed up shop barely two months in. After Hamlin pitted, 10 cars did not. Hes spoken with several members of our team and is understandably disappointed to miss time in the car. On Nov. 2, eight days after the crash, he knew it was imperative that he address the organization. F1 Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying Start time, how to watch, channel, FIA tweaks F1 pitlane exit rules following Verstappen controversy, FIA tweaks F1 pitlane exit rules following Verstappen controversy Hendrick was born in Warrenton, North Carolina and was raised on his family's farm in South Hill, Virginia, where he attended Park View High School. For a time Rick Hendrick wondered if his could. Hendrick's battle with leukemia and the other was due to a plea bargain he In the end, we're just racers. John Hendrick Ty Majeski placed fifth, giving him finishes of sixth or better in the first two races of the season. I think more realistically, if we can be a top five or fringe top-five, top-10 car or organization, then I will deem Road America a success and try to get better going to Indy.. To laugh, cry, and tell old stories whenever Mr. H needs to feel like just plain ol' Rick. "But there's days that just cripple you. In 2001, Ricky Hendrick Rick and Lindas late son found Victory Lane in the NASCAR Truck Series for his first career win. The change is because Hamlin, who is 20th in points, is too far back to climb into the top 10 in the standings before the regular season ends. Among the items kept in the massive facility is a nondescript set of engine parts. attending college or if she too was involved in the family business. privately owned airplane crashed as they were flying to Martinsville for Like the adjacent Hendrick Motorsports Museum, the amount of memorabilia on display is staggering. Hendrick took the plunge and made it all work, by mid-season, some of "I just know that the moment I saw them, something told me you've got to reassure them. Or is that torture? You think about it, in a way it was like yesterday. She looks just like him, and her grandfather says she acts just like him, too. Jeff Gordon to run Porsche Carrera Cup at Indianapolis, Jeff Gordon on Kyle Larson: "He does amazing things", Gordon calls Larson a "great talent" Papa Joe Hendrick award event: Papa Joe and Mary T. Hendrick with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine and their family. More importantly to Hendrick at the time, Hyde had the parts, the cars, cheap labor, and a shop to work in. It's the track where he earned his first win as an owner -- a win that kept a then-fledging Hendrick Motorsports in business. I can't explain it," Hendrick said. The Hendrick Family Foundation will consolidate the philanthropic efforts of the Hendrick organization, including Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group. The team was celebrating their 20th year in 2004. Rick Hendrick is 62, his net worth has been estimated at $200 million, and he is a grandfather. That passion motivates us every single day, and were excited about this next step., We use cookies to enhance your site experience, analyze site traffic, and serve targeted advertisements. Donations may be made at: The Marrow Foundation The following is a brief insight into the life of John John's twin daughters, Kimberly and Jennifer, were on the plane. And I'd tell them sometimes when they'd say, 'Man, I'm sorry about Ricky.' Others on board the aircraft were Joe Jackson, Jeff Turner, Randy Hes spoken with several members of our team and is understandably disappointed to miss time in the car. It sits quietly, almost hidden, amid the flashier, noisier displays. He made his 1000 million dollar fortune with NASCAR. There's the Palmer Springs, Va., firehouse, complete with a full-size fire truck. These 10 Whopping Homes & Cars Of Celebrities Look Amazing! Women's Champ Week predictions: Which teams will win the auto bids in all 32 conferences? Jeff Gordon on Kyle Larson: "He does amazing things", Jeff Gordon on HMS: "This is where my true passion lies", HMS has always been Gordon's passion He was scheduled to undergo surgery Friday night. Trackhouse Racing enters Road America as the early favorite after Ross Chastain won at Circuit of the Americas and teammate Daniel Suarez won at Sonoma in the only two road course races this year. He got back on the road and drove home to tell his wife, Linda, hoping the plane had landed somewhere else due to weather. Rick Hendrick also lost his brother and two nieces in the accident. Randy Dorton was on the plane. I fed off of that.". '", "It gets easier," he said. Reigning series champion Zane Smith, who won the season opener at Daytona, finished second. But Harry Hyde was also a certified wrench genius. We got the car dialed in mid-race and we drove up through the field. On October 31, 2011, Hendrick and his wife, Linda, were involved in a plane crash in Key West, Florida, when the plane landed long at Key West International Airport. His team has also won 13 NASCAR Cup Series championships (7 by Jimmie Johnson, 4 by Jeff Gordon, and 1 by both Chase Elliott and Terry Labonte) and 3 NASCAR Truck Series championships (all by Jack Sprague). The news broke during Sunday's race that the plane was missing. This was about the time father and son had planned for Rick to step aside in a lesser semi-retired role and hand the company to his son. John Hendrick took over the reins of Hendrick Motorsports when his brother, ", Terry Labonte: "Everybody loves Terry. Then all of a sudden, I wanted to call every one of them back and say, Look, I really didnt understand. were on board the small Beech 200 plane that crashed on Sunday near Washington, DC 20004, Please see Henderick Motorsports statement, WS: Irwindale II: Scott Gaylord race notes, Dixon didnt have the pace to fight for Laguna win, Dixon didnt have pace in Laguna "All of those guys are just pure racers," Hendrick said. He was a pilot for driver Tony Stewart. Taking that and moving to Road America, we should be contenders there. Matthews is from back home in Virginia. Youre thinking about not having him around, but having pieces (and) memories, you keep all of that alive.. I think of my grandchildren, I want to spend more time with them, Rick Hendrick said. That included Hendrick's son, Ricky, his brother and twin nieces. Who had a good race: Reigning series champion Zane Smith, who is the points leader this season, has opened the season with a win and a runner-up finish. Unless you are with the man they call Mr. H, you're not getting in. Hendrick runs his hand over the glass case that displays his son's gear. When the drivers called me and said, Man, Im so excited I get to drive the 17, that makes me feel good., The weekend got off to a good start. Elliotts streak of consecutive Cup starts ends at 254 races. But it wasn't God's plan. He is also a co-owner of JR Motorsports and founder of the Hendrick Automotive Group, a network of over 100 car dealerships. It was Saturday, July 7, and it was the very first truck race at Kansas Speedway. Its something that well always cherish, being there with him and seeing him so excited to win his first race.. Chandler Smith scored his first career Xfinity pole, posting the fastest lap in Friday nights Xfinity Series qualifying session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Busch will be joined on the front row by rookie Nick Sanchez (177.608 mph). And you come back. "You didn't leave," Essex said. Las Vegas is the third race of the season. I cant put into words what it felt like to be there. To see him sitting up there, where Ive seen a lot of my guys sit, and watched press conferences, but to stand in the back of the room and seeing something like an inaugural Truck (win), him achieving what he did. and friends. We're just car guys that have been fortunate enough to make a living at this.". How Rich Are These Big-Name NASCAR Drivers? Instead, he had Geoff Bodine behind the wheel, an often-cantankerous short-track legend from upstate New York. "That came from my father," Hendrick said. The day was a literal "win or pack it in" situation. He wasn't sure how he could ever set foot on the Motorsports campus again. "I went up there, I remember just how emotional it was, how hard it was just to try to talk. Nationally, BBBS is the nations largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring network matching adult volunteers ("bigs") and children ages seven through 14 ("littles"). "I couldn't even make myself come in here for the longest time. How F1's comeback merchant can make a lasting impression at Haas, F3 Bahrain: Rookie Marti claims maiden win after Colapinto pass, F3 Bahrain: Rookie Marti claims maiden win after Colapinto pass Sonoma, I felt like finally I had an opportunity to do what I always believed that I could do at a road course and just have a good day qualify in the top five, race in the top five, be there throughout the entirety of the race, he said. By that afternoon, the Hendrick home was full. "You talk about how tragic and unfair it is," Hendrick said. They've got to know where you stand and how you feel. But the second-place competitor was mounting a charge. His duties would entail day-to-day control of the racing ", He talks from a leather chair in his "ultimate man cave," on the second floor of the Heritage Center. NASCAR, having earned five Cup series titles, three Truck crowns and one I have a special relationship with the people here. I could go six races and that was it. But, then you think, gosh, its been that long ago, almost 20 years.. , It was just if youre not a parent you cant understand, but if you are, you understand.. "All I see is that kid with that fishing rod. Winning 200 races isn't going to change it, either. He also had been a pit crew member for the Flying 11 that Ray Hendrick (no relation) drove in the 1960s. We have an amazing extended family that continues to inspire us with their generosity and passion for giving back. On Oct. 21, 2014, Hendrick Motorsports held a celebration on the racing campus in remembrance of the lives lost in that crash. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. Hendrick began drag racing at age 14 in a self built 1931 Chevrolet. As Hendrick said those words, he peered across the table at his longtime publicist and chief sounding board, Jesse Essex, for confirmation of accuracy. their drivers, are in shock as they mourn the loss of their loved ones Heres how he got his company back on track. (Fox Sports) Chris Myers and Kyle Petty. Until you go through it, you dont understand. in the process of mourning the loss of their loved ones and friends who It was Hendrick Motorsports vice president Ken Howes. He knows exactly where he was. He does not verbalize it. Ricky Hendrick, here talking to Brian Vickers when he was a Hendrick Motorsports driver in the Busch Series, was being groomed to take over HMS as his father, Rick Hendrick, stepped back from daily operations. We had no money but we never wanted for anything. I smile when somebody says, You remember when Ricky did this or did that? . "I built a car and a backup. It will absorb the Hendrick Marrow Program, which Rick Hendrick founded in 1997 and has raised more than $15 million in partnership with Be The Match to support As a young man, Hendrick came to admire Zora because he'd installed so many of the designer's legendary high-lift camshafts into the cars of customers. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. The celebrity his starsign is Cancer and he is now 73 years of age. mind, was to make sure that the organization remained successful until his Rick Hendrick and his wife, Linda, were at Kansas Speedway and celebrated with their son. You're numb. And his son-in-law, Marshall Carlson, wanted to join him. Two years later, at age 16, Hendrick won the Virginia division of the Chrysler-Plymouth Troubleshooting Contest, a two-part test consisting of a written exam and a timed hands-on diagnosis and repair of defects planted on a car. He was the heir apparent, a young man with tremendous passion and a giving heart who had two years prior foregone his own driving aspirations to learn from his father how to lead the organization. When you get to an event like this and you look at what the sport has meant to you and your family, you think about those things. Or Ken Schrader, who picked up four wins over nine years, but whom Hendrick to refers to as "my other brother.". At the time, many in the racing world wondered if the team So it was tough sometimes going to those race weekends and going I hope at best we can run 18th.. The team will use the No. Now they gather in sadness for the loss of four family members: Ricky Lo and behold, this is our Top 60 of celebrities that have been caught smoking or, Celebrities dont always wear makeup anymore. Hamilton says Mercedes a long way off pace, Ten Hag must learn from Mourinho to ensure Man United's Carabao Cup win is just the start, Betting tips for Week 26 English Premier League games and more, LIVE Transfer Talk: Bayern still keen on Kane despite new Choupo-Moting contract. The Hendrick Heritage Center is housed in a massive warehouse/office building perched on the south end of Hendrick Motorsports' sprawling 140-acre, 12-building campus in Concord, N.C. Hendrick had rented space for his drag boats from Hyde. And then I left.". 5 Busch Series car driven by Kyle Busch. Scheduled for May 22 at The Fillmore in Charlotte, North Carolina, the annual charity event will benefit Be The Match, Levine Childrens Hospital and Together We Feed Charlotte. Dixon didnt have the pace to fight for Laguna win, Jimmie Johnson hails special day after IndyCar career-best finish, Johnson elated by top IndyCar result His official title is Inventory Specialist -- Hendrick Performance Group. It was NASCAR president Mike Helton. statement until after the race had ended and confirmation of the Its part of it. 16 car with Noah Gragson and Daniel Hemric this season. The GTP team was based in a tiny shop on Gasoline Alley (formerly Roena St.) in Indianapolis, Indiana and managed by Ken Howes of South Africa. Berry, who drives for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series, will be making his third career Cup start. Rick Hendrick is 62, his net worth has been estimated at $200 million, and he is a grandfather. The morning of that race in April, Hendrick traveled to nearby Bull Mountain and stood beneath a memorial, a cross erected among the trees. I can't believe another year has gone by. And if we didn't have the character and the chemistry we have here it would have all fallen apart. And the big teams knew so many tricks of what they could get through tech. 1. NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick and wife Linda have formed a new not-for-profit charity called the Hendrick Family Foundation. Just below it hangs another picture, this one hanging on the wall across the table from Hendrick, directly in his sight line. Berry is a two-time winner in the Xfinity series at Las Vegas and is the defending Xfinity winner. I love doing things with them. "Ken said, 'Where are you right now?'" The Georgia native is NASCARs five-time fan-voted most popular driver. "It was like a family reunion or something. "And I said, 'Well, do you want to put it in here where you see it every single day? He'd like to go back and find every one of them and apologize, because until he experienced it, he "didn't have any damn idea what they were going through.". The bottom line is some words got jumbled (on the radio) and it ended up being if you can get the lead, stay, Gabehart said. Chase Purdy qualified third at 177.608 mph, Ty Majeski qualified fourth at 176.910 mph and Hailie Deegan qualified fifth 176.661 mph. Our family has been humbled by the support weve received over the years, said He talks about Frank Edwards, the last remaining employee from the original five. They had just spoken a week before this interview. The car was actually built by Lola but resembled later Corvette models and was powered by GM's twin-turbo V-6 engine. operation. Team owner Rick Hendrick told The Associated Press that Elliott was just out of surgery and it went well. Hendrick gave no additional details about Elliotts condition or the accident. I was thrilled that we could be there together and experience it as a family. Dick Ebersol knows. Another was snapped in 1987, at the Daytona 500. Son of Joseph Riddick Hendrick, Jr. and Mary Peoples Hendrick Busch title. Ben Rhodes placed third and was followed by Corey Heim and Ty Majeski. Sonoma, we hit it and were pretty good. I was renting the tools. So he deconstructed the engine, washed the parts in gasoline, and placed them into a five-gallon bucket. It wont be that far off for us. What plane? He gave us everything we wanted because he worked hard.". I think that was a real special time. And I think about Ricky. Having children myself makes running this car much more important because I cant imagine losing one of my children and what that would to do me, Larson said. On paper, his job is to manage Hendrick's massive Heritage Center inventory. I was renting the damn parts! In a sport where relationships can be fleeting, scattered to the winds of hurt feelings and business deals gone bad, all of those drivers remain close to their former employer. Josh Berry will drive the No. FIA tweaks F1 pitlane exit rules following Verstappen controversy, Kyle Busch kicks off Las Vegas tripleheader with Truck win, Kyle Busch kicks off Las Vegas tripleheader with Truck win "I read somewhere, if you had a choice to forget all the pain, you'd never have to think about it again, if you never knew him -- would you rather have him for that period and have the pain, or never have him at all and have no pain? They didn't feel obligated. When Kyle Busch, who was second, pitted, Hamlin could have stayed out and restarted on the front row. I don't want to run from anything. the rumors of the team being sold off piece-by-piece had vanished and He nearly missed Saturday night's victory at Darlington, flying in late after missing the green flag to attend a friend's wedding. family's patriarch "Papa-Joe" earlier this year. would survive. "That's my son Ricky's trailer. That night he was standing in Bodine's yard, covering the trees in toilet paper. He was an executive for Jeff Gordon's sponsor, DuPont. Here's how the consummate competitor keeps his team revved up. Now when he walks the grid, all eyes are on him. "One thing I can say about him: He lived his life," Hendrick said. He cant be on the pit box. Motorsports is the Bone Marrow foundation. You think about what all you see with these NASCAR teams now. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), McDowell heads into Sundays race having already scored, Las Vegas Xfinity starting lineup: Chandler Smith wins pole, Las Vegas Truck starting lineup: Kyle Busch wins pole, as three Joe Gibbs Racing cars, running second through fourth, all pitted, which Toyota Racing Development President David Wilson called an embarrassment., Ross Chastain won at Circuit of the Americas, a career-high six top-10 finishes this season. He froze. As Rick Hendrick prepares for Friday nights NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony, he said there has been a river of emotions, and he cant help but think of his son, that race and the moments they spent together. ", Door-To-Door: Making sense of the senseless, 'Not going out this way': Nets, down 28, stun C's, Smart backs UGA culture after fatal crash, arrests, Scherzer tries to test pitch clock limits, gets balk, UFC's White: Miocic will fight Jones-Gane winner, Kerr touts 5-0 homestand: Dubs 'turned a corner', Wolverines' Turner wows with 4.26 40 at combine, Jones: Not fixated on Cowboys' drought, just '23, Snowboarding mishap sidelines NASCAR's Elliott, NHL trade tracker: Latest deals and grades, Inside the long-awaited return of Jon Jones and his quest for heavyweight glory. With the change to the penalty, Gabehart could not have the All-Star Race, a non-points race, count as one of the four races he had to miss. Whats behind Jimmie Johnsons NASCAR slump? "He said they'd found the wreck And there were no survivors " Hendrick said. Communication is key. "And when I saw the people, I said, 'This place is going to go on, and we're going to take care of each other. On 12-7-1949 Rick Hendrick (nickname: Rick ) was born in Warrenton, North Carolina, U.S.. Women's Champ Week predictions: Which teams will win the auto bids in all 32 conferences? While the new car has challenged many teams and drivers, Kaulig Racings AJ Allmendinger says hes enjoyed the new car. On Easter Sunday 1966, the 16-year-old Hendrick raced that car. To this day, Ricky Hendrick continues to make an impact on his fathers life. Ricky's little girl, Ricki, is 9 years old. ". What for? Now he's the world's largest Corvette salesman. Jimmie Johnson hails special day after IndyCar career-best finish. In 1997, Hendrick pleaded guilty to mail fraud. There's the JR Hendrick General Store, his grandfather's business that also doubled as little Rick's first garage, where he and his father, Joe, worked on the kid's first car during his childhood in rural Virginia. With five full-time employees and 5,000 square feet (460 m2) of workspace, he fielded one NASCAR Winston Cup team. Previewing the 2023 college baseball season: Teams and players to watch, key storylines, Road to the men's Frozen Four: Conference tournaments at a glance, Top moments from Brady, Manning, Jordan and other athletes hosting 'Saturday Night Live', Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He is widely considered to be the most successful team owner in NASCAR history. While walking through the building one day, Hendrick swore Ricky's eyes in that photo followed him. And there was Ricky Hendrick, Rick's 24-year-old son and heir apparent to the Hendrick empire. They have rallied around him during those terrible times of loss. There are a lot of heartwarming stories. Then he'd work all night. Jennifer Hendrick worked in the Hendrick Motorsports Marketing Which non-quarterback group will define each top-25 team's season? Husband of Private retirement at an early age due to a race-related injury, was being McLaren, Larson open-minded on future IndyCar opportunities, Why Kyle Larson deserves his second chance in a cancel culture, Why Larson deserves a second chance Forget about the wins and the money and even all this stuff we've got in here," Matthews said. On the return trip home, his phone rang. He'd work in a field from 5 in the morning until dark. We talked about it (on Fathers Day) and we do all the time. ", But Hendrick perks up most when he talks about the "other" Hendrick Motorsports drivers, the guys who didn't win championships or collect piles of trophies. Ive been through a lot more of those situations, and its a lot less confusing than when youre having to channel the directive through a different voice and youre able to instead consume it and produce it. It ran in his blood.. He finished sixth, while Elliott won. Hendrick is one of the premier Motorsports racing organizations in It was the hardest thing he's ever had to do. resurfaced. for the Hendrick Motorsports stable. He nearly won at Circuit of the Americas before contact from Ross Chastain knocked him out of the lead on the last lap. He recalls his bout in the late '90s with leukemia, an illness that struck while he was in the midst of a legal controversy over the business practices of Hendrick Automotive. ET Saturday. In 1997, Hendrick began the Hendrick Marrow Program, a non-profit works with the Be The Match Foundation to support the National Marrow Donor Program. The victory is Buschs 63rd in the Truck Series and his fourth series win at his hometown track. If I had been on that plane that day, Ricky wouldn't have been on it. to replace Rick, as that would be impossible to do." And he was there to dedicate the victory to Ricky, Papa Joe, mother Mary, who passed away last August, and "to all of the people who have been with us before and are with us now, through the good times and the bad.". With that in mind, he plays a quick game of word association with the drivers that helped him reach 200 wins. The Beechcraft 200 crashed in the Bull Mountain region of Virginia at With Geoff Bodine the driver, his team managed to race in all 30 races to finish ninth in the final standings with three wins and pole positions. Ricky Hendricks legacy will be honored in Saturdays Xfinity Series race at Road America. It's amazing when you look at the record since then. And he was just bawling," Hendrick said. He will be joined on the front row by Justin Allgaier (182.778 mph). Now he stands here, looking out over the staggering expanse of his life. Chastain heads into Sundays race second in the standings. Afterward, Ebersol, then president of NBC Sports, handed him a DVD of family memories. 9 Chevrolet on Sunday in place of Elliott. My best friend. It was all new everybody was on the same page, he said. "You blame yourself a lot. Its one of those things you never want to forget. It was the vehicle that Hendrick's son, Ricky, drove to the private hangar that housed his father's fleet of aircraft on the morning of Oct. 24, 2004. As time goes on, you have people tell funny stories and some of his friends, a lot of them come by, and they tell stories and we laugh, Rick Hendrick said. The conditions in the surrounding area at the time were I gave it to him when he told me was building this place.". Many crew chiefs have done it before. Otherwise I was going to start putting my business in jeopardy.". Ricky Henderick, 24, a former Busch series and NCTS driver until his retirement at an early age due to a race-related injury, was being groomed to eventually WebNASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick lost his senior management groupand his sonin a 2004 plane crash. Ricky parked the vehicle just before noon and boarded a Beechcraft Super King Air 200 with nine other people. It's Hendrick and Matthews. the team owner of the No. McLaren, Larson open-minded on future IndyCar opportunities, Why Kyle Larson deserves his second chance in a cancel culture, Why Larson deserves a second chance Because that's my family. He's an executive now, but Hendrick describes a man laying chalk lines in the dirt around a wrecked late-model racer before they cut it in half and spent all night welding it back together so they could tow it back to the South Boston Speedway and crash it again. Richard Tracy and Elizabeth Morrison were on the plane as its pilots. The rumors of the then four-year-old organization would fall apart He must relay information to the interim crew chief and have that message passed along to the driver. Kyle Busch won the pole for Friday nights NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Christian Eckes finished third, giving him finishes of sixth or better in the first two races of the season. The team was Sitting on the showroom floor of that mini-dealership is Cole Trickle's City-sponsored Chevy from "Days of Thunder.". "We have children and grandchildren and I want them to have a place where they can come and remember everything that came before them. In that moment, Rick Hendrick lost his only son, his brother, his nieces, his best friends and his most-established, loyal business associates. Both Rick and Linda Hendrick were at the race, and together they made their way to Victory Lane. Hendrick explained. The end of last weekends Cup race at Nashville proved puzzling, as three Joe Gibbs Racing cars, running second through fourth, all pitted when leader Chase Elliott stayed out before the final restart. He grew up loving the place. On that day in Atlanta in 1992, the knock on Hendrick Motorsports as a team was that they couldn't Jim Hunter, NASCAR Vice President of Communications announced to the NASCAR teams and officials that He knew he must go to Motorsports and he must stand in front of his extended family of hundreds, and he must assure them and he must tell them that they would press on in the name and in the honor of those lost. WebJoseph Riddick " Ricky " Hendrick IV (April 2, 1980 October 24, 2004) was an American stock car racing driver and partial owner at Hendrick Motorsports, a NASCAR team that They felt honored. NASCAR has granted waivers to drivers for a variety of medical and non-medical reasons. The Rick Hendrick who spotted Gordon that day was 43 years-old. I thought, 'No, I'm going to put them all in here -- my mom, my dad, John, all of them. Because I wasn't sure -- I really wasn't -- that I could do it again.". That office was built for him. Those buildings are packed with dozens of cars, dozens of employees, and rooms full of engineers crunching hard drives packed with aerodynamic numbers collected in wind tunnels.