Martinsville Speedway holds significance for Hendrick Motorsports. When the team was on the verge of shutting down in its first year of operations, the track proved to be the turning point in ensuring they continued to move forward after Geoff Bodine won the race on April 29th, 1984. While there is triumph associated with the venue, it’s also a reminder of a tragic loss. On October 24th, 2004, a Hendrick plane crashed into the side of Bull Mountain due to fog, resulting in the death of 10 people on board, including Mr. H’s son, Ricky Hendrick.

Even though 20 years have passed, the memory of the incident remains fresh in Rick and Linda Hendrick’s minds even today. Reflecting and remembering those that they lost, the Hendrick Motorsports team united in honor of the victims of that horrific crash.

A tragedy that shook Hendrick Motorsports to its core

On a beautiful fall afternoon, family, friends, and Hendrick Motorsports employees gathered together at the memorial fountain on the team’s campus to remember those they lost in the plane crash 20 years ago. One by one, the names of all the victims were called, including John Hendrick and his twin daughters Jennifer and Kimberly, general manager Jeff Turner, chief engine builder Randy Dorton, Tony Stewart’s helicopter pilot Scott Lathram, DuPoint executive Joe Jackson and the team owner’s son Ricky Hendrick.

Bouquets were placed, words were shared, but the void remained in the hearts of those who lost their loved ones, who put on a brave face for the public. Linda Hendrick addressed the crowd gathered at the team’s campus and said, “Looking back 20 years I remember how much support and love all of you gave to us and continue to. I thank you for that. Thank you for who you are. They say that it’s not what you go through in life, it’s how you get through it. I think there’s a lot of truth to that. There are many choices we can make when we feel like we don’t know which way to go and our life is turned upside down. Nothing is ever hopeless. We always have hope.”

The untimely loss of their son Ricky hit Linda and Rick Hendrick particularly hard, who were shaken up by the unspeakable tragedy that occurred 20 years ago. The former Truck and Xfinity Series driver was expected to take over the racing team in the future, with Rick Hendrick saying, “He would have done a better job at this than I did.”

At the time of his passing, Ricky was just 24 years old and had decided to retire from racing after raising concerns about his physical and mental health. However, he continued to be associated with the Hendrick Motorsports team as owner of two Busch Series cars run by Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch.

With the final Round of Eight playoff race at Martinsville Speedway, the stakes will be higher than ever, particularly for the three HMS drivers vying for the title. However, Kyle Larson believes they will have an additional source of motivation going into the Xfinity 500, saying, “The first win there is talked about a lot, but the tragedy, I feel like, is not mentioned often, at least personally to me. But it’s always on everybody’s minds anytime we get ready to go to Martinsville. I’m sure all of that makes us want to win there or have a good run there, even more than other tracks probably.”

Rick Hendrick reflects on rebuilding HMS after tragedy

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With the final Round of Eight playoff race at Martinsville Speedway, the stakes will be higher than ever, particularly for the three HMS drivers vying for the title. However, Kyle Larson believes they will have an additional source of motivation going into the Xfinity 500, saying, “The first win there is talked about a lot, but the tragedy, I feel like, is not mentioned often, at least personally to me. But it’s always on everybody’s minds anytime we get ready to go to Martinsville. I’m sure all of that makes us want to win there or have a good run there, even more than other tracks probably.”

Rick Hendrick reflects on rebuilding HMS after tragedy

Against all odds. That’s the best way to describe how Rick Hendrick managed to rebuild NASCAR’s winningest team in the wake of a tragedy that wiped out six members of his family and employees. In the aftermath of the crash, NASCAR officials withheld the information from the drivers until the Subway 500 ended, with Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson winning the race. For the rest of the 2024 season, all the HMS cars and the No. 0 Haas CNC Racing vehicle featured pictures of the victims on their hoods, accompanied by the phrase, “Always in our hearts.”

Reflecting on that difficult time, team owner Rick Hendrick told The Charlotte Observer, “I don’t even remember much about the first week (after the plane crash) I didn’t know if I could come back. One day, I said, ‘I’ve gotta go over and talk to the people (at Hendrick Motorsports). It was emotional. And I knew then that they would want us to go on — all these people that worked so hard to build what was here. And I made a commitment to them that we would fight on. That’s what those on that plane would want us to do.”

Fast forward to today, and Hendrick Motorsports has firmly established itself as the most successful team in NASCAR history. Earlier this year, the team secured a 1-2 finish at the 2024 Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway, with William Byron securing his third win of the season, followed by Kyle Larson.

With both drivers above the elimination cutline hoping for a spot at Phoenix Raceway, could they honor the legacy of the crash’s victims by replicating the result at the 2024 Xfinity 500? Time will tell. But it will be a fitting way to pay tribute to those who lost their lives with a victory in the final playoff race of the season.