NASCAR Hall of Fame Nominee Preview: Rick Hendrick

Rick Hendrick (1949-present) is currently a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team owner. He fields four cars piloted by, Chase Elliott, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kasey Kahne. He has been active as a team owner since 1984.

Rick Hendrick drove for two races in the 1987 and 1988 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. He is also credited with a single start in the NASCAR Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series.

Before owning a team in NASCAR, Hendrick started out owning a boat racing team that won three consecutive championships. After that, he started a team in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, which earned one victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway with Dale Earnhardt. In 1984, Hendrick started All Star Racing with Geoff Bodine as the driver. In that opening season, Hendrick’s team raced their way into all 30 events, won three times, three pole wins, and finished ninth in the final standings. Hendrick has won 15 Drivers’ championships (11 Sprint Cup Series, 1 Xfinity Series, and three Camping World Truck Series), 257 race wins (209 Sprint Cup Series, 23 Xfinity Series, and 25 Truck Series), and 245 pole positions (189 Sprint Cup Series, 35 Xfinity Series, and 21 Truck Series). Those numbers are still growing today. Hendrick is considered one of the winningest owners in NASCAR history.

Hendrick has had his fair share of tragedy. In 2004, a Hendrick Motorsports plane crashed on its way to Martinsville Speedway. The accident killed all ten people on the plane. On the plane included John Hendrick, president of Hendrick Motorsports, and Ricky Hendrick, Rick Hendrick’s son. Hendrick Motorsports won the race in Martinsville, but all members were immediately summoned by NASCAR and told the news of the plane crash.

Hendrick has received numerous awards over his hall of fame career, and the NASCAR Hall of Fame is the next step for Hendrick.

Caleb Whisler
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