The crowd favorite at Virginia tracks and a popular Richmond-area racing star, Roy Hendrick, has passed away at the age of 70. Son of the legendary “Mr. Modified ”Ray Hendrick, Roy was often seen behind the wheel of his father’s Flying 11, which had been raced in the 1960s on the dirt track at Richmond Raceway.

Despite being the son of a NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee, Roy Hendrick was a consistent winner in his own right, having made a name for himself with several achievements throughout his career. His passing signals the end of his life, but Roy Hendrick’s legacy lives on, especially for those who grew up watching short-track racing.

A reflection of Roy Hendrick’s illustrious career

Roy Hendrick won his first track championship in 1972 in the Limited Sportsman Division at Southside Speedway, a venue that was considered his local track, as it is located in Chesterfield County. He won on the same track in 1990 as well, only this time it was during its annual 300-lap race. Hendrick had also competed in the Late Model Stock Car track championships in 1983 and went on to win three races at South Boston Speedway, Orange County Speedway, and Southside Speedway.

Having raced at Martinsville Speedway and Richmond Raceway in the lower divisions, Hendrick then went on to make his only Cup Series start in 1986. However, his car suffered a mechanical failure at Dover Motor Speedway, bringing a premature end to his only appearance in the series. His father, Ray Hendrick, had won over 700 Modified and Late Model Sportsman races throughout his 35-year-long career. Such was his legacy that he was nominated for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025.

The father-son duo had some memorable races where the two competed against each other. At South Boston in 1979, the pair fought for the championship, which was eventually won by Ray Hendrick because of a rain cancellation. The two went wheel-to-wheel at Beltsville Speedway as well, where Roy Hendrick dominated most of the race, only to be overtaken by his father towards the end. Roy Hendrick also ran a muffler shop called Roy Hendrick Auto for decades that was located in Moseley.

One of Roy Hendrick’s main memories from his racing career was from September 28, 1990, the day his father Ray passed away. When he visited the hospital, Roy was asked by his father why he didn’t lap other cars, to which he responded that he didn’t need to. That morning, Ray Hendrick passed away, and despite his initial reservations about competing in the 300-lap race at Southside, Roy Hendrick decided to take part. Not only did he dominantly win the race, he also lapped his rivals. After the race, Roy Hendrick said, “It didn’t matter what happened to him, he wanted me to run that race, and he wanted me to go out there and kick their butt.”

While funeral arrangements are yet to be finalized after Roy Hendrick’s passing, the racing community is already mourning the loss of an iconic driver. The legacy that Roy Hendrick leaves behind is unmatched and will continue to inspire drivers for generations to come. One such driver, Denny Hamlin, who grew up idolizing Ray and Roy Hendrick, once paid tribute to his childhood heroes during a Cup Series race at Darlington.

When Denny Hamlin celebrated with Roy Hendrick

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In 2017, Denny Hamlin raced at Darlington Speedway with his No. 11 Toyota sporting the iconic paint scheme of the Flying 11, as a throwback for the Southern 500. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver ended up winning the race and celebrated the accomplishment with Roy Hendrick on Victory Lane. During the post-race interview, Hamlin dedicated his win to not just Ray Hendrick, but also his son Roy, and other Richmond-area drivers who he idolized while growing up.

During the post-race interview, Denny Hamlin said, “This is a throwback to my history. This is for Roy Hendrick, Bug Hairfield, Wayne Patterson, and Eddie Johnson – the short-track guys I grew up watching. Back in 1985 to 1989, I was at Southside Speedway in the stands watching them race and learning everything I could from them. And this is a throwback to them and their history.”

Born into a racing dynasty, Roy Hendrick’s legacy will continue to inspire and resonate among fans and drivers for generations to come. Known for his exceptional driving ability, relentless commitment, and dedication toward excellence, it’s no surprise that Denny Hamlin was inspired by the short-track racer while growing up. We at EssentiallySports wish Roy Hendrick and his family our heartfelt condolences during this challenging time.