Rick Hendrick’s story is one of the most inspirational in the NASCAR world. He built Hendrick Motorsports from scratch into the giant that it is today and experienced multiple moments of glory along the way. But the one moment that made up for all the hardships that he endured and made things come full circle came in 2001 through his son, Ricky Hendrick.
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Ricky passed away in a 2004 plane crash. But this wasn’t before he made his father immensely proud of him for being an exceptional NASCAR driver. The 2001 Craftsman Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway came at a time when Ricky was under heavy pressure from the media and the fandom for delaying his maiden win.
He was just 21 at the time and putting up great finishes on the board from behind the #17 Chevrolet. However, that final stretch to reach victory lane kept eluding him until that July weekend. He qualified second behind his teammate Jack Sprague and ended up winning the event under scorching heat from the sun.
A proud day for Ricky Hendrick and the Hendrick Family in 2001 at Kansas Speedway. https://t.co/Hi8h1kVftO
— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) December 28, 2024
His then-crew chief Lance McGrew remembers how silent Mr. Hendrick was watching his son win. He said, “I’d been around Mr. H for a couple of years before that and that was the first time he couldn’t talk. He couldn’t even speak.”
“That was the first and only time I’ve ever seen him speechless.”
The team owner did not have to say anything. He was a father above everything, and the tears he shed standing in victory lane alongside his wife spoke volumes.
Following the win, Ricky finished sixth in the driver standings and moved to the Xfinity Series in 2002. He later quit racing and took up management roles within Hendrick Motorsports.
Ricky Hendrick’s death in 2004
Ricky and nine other HMS personnel flying on a Beechcraft King Air 200 to Martinsville on October 24, 2002, met with an unfortunate end as the plane faced issues in landing at the Blue Ridge Airport (MTV) and encountered mountainous terrains in the region surrounding Stuart, Virginia. It was around 12:35 p.m. ET that it crashed killing everyone on board.
A memorial fountain was founded in memory of the lost ones on the team’s campus. Mr. Hendrick said during the service that was held earlier this year, “Never to be replaced and never to be forgotten but to always be loved and remembered. I just appreciate the warmth and love that’s around this fountain today. We will never, ever forget these souls.”
On the 40th anniversary of Hendrick Motorsports, Ricky’s win in Kansas is remembered as one of the team’s greatest and most memorable achievements. He was a naturally talented individual who could have gone on to achieve greatness beyond that of his father. The racing world will forever remember him and his win.
