Rick Hendrick



Rick Hendrick
Born Joseph Riddick Hendrick III
July 12, 1949(1949-07-12)
Warrenton, North Carolina, U.S.
Nationality American
Occupation Owner, Hendrick Motorsports
Years active 1984-present
Employer Hendrick Motorsports (owner)
Spouse(s) Linda Hendrick
Children Ricky Hendrick (deceased), Lynn Carlson
Parents Mary Hendrick

Joseph Riddick Hendrick III (born July 12, 1949), better known as Rick Hendrick is an owner of several NASCAR stock cars and teams as well as the Hendrick Automotive Group[1], one of the largest automotive chains in the United States.

Contents

Early Years

Hendrick was raised on his family's farm near Palmer Springs, Virginia and attended Park View High School in South Hill, Virginia, where he excelled in athletics. Hendrick considered an opportunity to play professional baseball before entering a co-op work-study program with North Carolina State University and Westinghouse Electric Company in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Hendrick Motorsports

Hendrick Motorsports, founded in 1984, is one of the most successful teams in NASCAR, winning Sprint Cup championships in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. Hendrick Motorsports owns several race teams, including the Sprint Cup teams of Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Jimmie Johnson. Past drivers include Geoff Bodine, Tim Richmond, Benny Parsons, Jimmy Means, Darrell Waltrip, Ken Schrader, Ricky Craven, Todd Bodine, Wally Dallenbach, Jr., Randy LaJoie, Joe Nemechek, Ricky Rudd, Terry Labonte, Brian Vickers, Casey Mears, Jerry Nadeau, his son Ricky Hendrick, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, and Rick Hendrick himself.

Rick Hendrick drove in the 1987 and 1988 Winston Cup races at Riverside International Raceway, finishing 33rd and 15th, respectively. He also had a single start in both the Busch Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. He had been a pit crew member for the Flying 11 that Ray Hendrick drove in the 1960s.[2]

Gov. Jim Hunt recognized Hendrick in 1996 with The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina's highest civilian honor. The award is bestowed upon citizens of the state who have a proven record of extraordinary service. Past recipients include journalist Charles Kuralt, the Rev. Billy Graham, artist Bob Timberlake and Hendrick's late father, Joe Hendrick, who was presented the award by Gov. Mike Easley in 2004.

Hendrick Automotive Group

Hendrick founded the Hendrick Automotive Group in 1976 as a single dealership in Bennettsville, South Carolina becoming, at age 26, the youngest Chevrolet dealer in the country. [3] Today, the company consists of more than 80 franchises in 10 states and annual revenues are over $4 billion. Hendrick currently serves as chairman of the company.

1997 Mail fraud conviction

In 1997, Hendrick pled guilty to mail fraud.[4] In the 1980s, Honda automobiles were in high demand and Honda executives allegedly solicited bribes from dealers for larger product disbursements. Hendrick admitted to giving hundreds of thousands of dollars, BMW automobiles, and houses to American Honda Motor Company executives.[5] Hendrick was sentenced in December 1997 to a $250,000 fine, 12 months home confinement (instead of prison, due to his leukemia), three years probation, and to have no involvement with Hendrick Automotive Group or Hendrick Motorsports during his year of confinement. In December 2000, Hendrick received a full pardon from President Bill Clinton.[6][7]

2004 family plane crash

On October 24, 2004, Hendrick's son, Ricky Hendrick, two nieces and his brother were killed in an airplane crash en route to the Subway 500 in Martinsville, Virginia. All eight passengers and both pilots died in the incident.

References

  1. ^ Hendrick Automotive Group
  2. ^ Benny Parsons' commentary, ESPN 26 hour marathon for the Top NASCAR races as it turns 50 years old at Riverside International Raceway. ESPN2. ESPN. 1999. 1:00 minutes in.
  3. ^ "Rick Hendrick, Owner #24 Dupont Chevrolet". JeffGordon.com. http://jeffgordon.com/team/hendrick.php. 
  4. ^ Kurz, Jr., Hank (2004-10-25). "Hendrick Motorsports Plane Crash Kills 10". Associated Press. http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/motorracing/wire/sns-ap-nascar-hendrick-plane,1,4914452.story?coll=sns-ap-racing-headlines. Retrieved 2007-06-14. 
  5. ^ [hhttp://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/28/politics/28PARD.html?pagewanted=all "Clinton Will Not Block Aides From Testifying on Pardons"]. The New York Times, February 28, 2001. hhttp://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/28/politics/28PARD.html?pagewanted=all. 
  6. ^ Clinton Pardons
  7. ^ DOJ listing of Hendrick's pardon

External links

v • d • e
Hendrick Motorsports
Sprint Cup drivers Mark Martin (#5) | Jeff Gordon (#24) | Jimmie Johnson (#48) | Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (#88)
Primary Sponsors Go Daddy (#5) | Dupont (#24) | Lowe's #48) | AMP Energy/National Guard (#88)
Sprint Cup crew chiefs Alan Gustafson (#5) | Steve Letarte (#24) | Chad Knaus (#48) | Lance McGrew (#88)
Partnerships and affiliations Furniture Row Racing | JR Motorsports | Stewart Haas Racing | Phoenix Racing
Management/Related Info Rick Hendrick | Ricky Hendrick | Ray Evernham | Brian Whitesell | Hendrick Automotive Group
Past Winning drivers Geoff Bodine | Ken Schrader | Tim Richmond | Darrell Waltrip | Terry Labonte | Ricky Rudd | Kyle Busch | Jack Sprague
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