A great motorsports career starts with an undying passion for cars. For over four decades, Hendrick Motorsports has collected a massive arsenal of achievements which include 312 NASCAR Cup Series race victories and 14 championships. Its stellar drivers like Kyle Larson continue to fly the HMS banner high. Yet behind the trophies and talented faces lies a burning love for cars – which Rick Hendrick had since his teenage days.

Since he was 15 years old, Rick Hendrick has been collecting his favorite automobiles. Currently, the winningest NASCAR team owner boasts a stunning collection of 220 cars. However, what is more notable is the majority of them are Chevrolet Corvettes – the newest addition of which Hendrick roped in. Yet fans are tired of the annual event.

Rick Hendrick keeps his yearly tradition alive

It all started on the family farm in Virginia. Rick Hendrick worked on tractors and junk cars as a child and nurtured soaring automotive dreams. When he was 15 years old, he and his father Joe bought a 1931 Chevy Corvette for $250. That was the humble beginning of a gearhead paradise – now the old car sits amongst a colossal collection of 122 Corvettes. Yet Hendrick has barely had his fill. The annual Barrett-Jackson auction was held recently in Scottsdale, Arizona. And you can be sure that the premier NASCAR team owner was present at this event, to capture his favorite model’s latest release.

Rick Hendrick purchased his 123rd Chevrolet Corvette model, the Corvette ZR1, at the auction. The budget that Hendrick had to dole out is sure to make your jaws drop, as Brake Hard tweeted: “Rick Hendrick just bought the first production model 2025 Corvette ZR1 for $3.7M.” The model boasts a base price of $174,995. Besides the magnificent prices, the car’s features are no less special. It features the new LT7: a 5.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine, reported to produce 1,064 hp at 7,000 rpm. It also comes with a carbon aero package which can generate 1200 lbs of downforce.

Rick Hendrick’s choice was also the highest-grossing item at the Barrett-Jackson auction. The event totally raised $5.2 Million which will go to charity. The funds will be sent to the Red Cross as well as the ongoing efforts to help those affected by the California wildfires and the 2024 Southeastern United States hurricanes. This is hardly the first time that Hendrick has helped a philanthropic cause. When Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina in October 2024, Rick Hendrick doled out a generous amount – $2 Million to help reduce stranded victims and provide temporary shelters.

Top Comment by NREsq

That ‘31 Corvette is either priceless (since it doesn’t exist), or valueless if it’s some sort of mashup.

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Debate

Hendrick’s intentions may be spotless. However, fans are tired of seeing the same event repeating every year.

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Fans tone down Hendrick’s big purchase

Well, Rick Hendrick can tend to harp on his interests. He has proven his dedication to racing and especially his love for Corvettes several times for four decades. He has been collecting Chevy Corvettes since 1971 when he bought a stock 1963 Corvette. So when people saw that he added yet another Corvette to his collection, they were not too excited. “He’s always trying to get rare Vettes,” one fan wrote. Whenever Chevrolet announces a new rollout of its Corvette model, Hendrick is up for it no matter the soaring prices. So another fan wrote, “He does this with every corvette I thought.”

Another peculiar repetition of a trend that fans noticed was the number of the car. No wonder that the winningest team owner in NASCAR, who hosts stellar Cup Series drivers like Kyle Larson or Chase Elliott, will go for the No. 1 logo. Rick Hendrick always seeks to be number 1, as a fan implied: “He’s buys serial #1 for every year corvette.” Given his long-standing connection with Chevrolet, it may be a cakewalk for Hendrick to shave off possible competition. So before anybody can even think of owning a Corvette, you will see Hendrick there. So a fan was not surprised: “Of course he did. A number 001 corvette? Nobody else on the planet was going to own that.”

Rick Hendrick’s love for the Corvettes cannot be understated. He concocted plans to gift each of his grandchildren a brand-new Corvette on their 16th birthday. Then he took out his wife on their first date in the 1971 Corvette model. A lady owning the 1957 Corvette model called Hendrick specifically to sell her vehicle. So the Corvette Hall of Fame rightfully inducted him in 2015. And a fan recognized his love: “I can understand him getting the first one. I’ve shaken his hands and Brad Paisleys together as they pick up their cars. Rick is in the Corvette hall of fame, too.”

Evidently, Rick Hendrick’s obsession with Corvettes goes way beyond his motorsports ambitions. They are a source of personal joy, something fans know very well.