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Rick Hendrick

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Article Genealogy
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Rick Hendrick
NameRick Hendrick
Birth nameRicky F. Hendrick
Birth date12 July 1949
Birth placeVance County, North Carolina
OccupationEntrepreneur, Motorsport team owner, Automobile dealer
Years active1976–present
Known forFounder of Hendrick Motorsports, owner of Hendrick Automotive Group
SpouseLinda Hendrick
ChildrenJeff Hendrick, Ricky Hendrick (deceased), daughter

Rick Hendrick is an American entrepreneur and businessperson best known for founding Hendrick Motorsports and building one of the largest automotive dealer groups in the United States. He has been a prominent figure in NASCAR since the 1980s, overseeing multiple championship-winning teams and expanding into major automotive retail and philanthropic ventures. Hendrick's career intersects with notable figures and institutions across American motorsport, corporate and charitable sectors.

Early life and education

Hendrick was born in Vance County, North Carolina and raised in Nash County, North Carolina near Rocky Mount, North Carolina, where he grew up in a family connected to automotive retail and towing services. He attended Eden-area schools and later studied at Rockingham Community College and pursued vocational training related to automotive mechanics, before entering the dealership business in the 1970s. Influences in his youth included regional dealers and racers from North Carolina, where stock car racing and figures from NASCAR culture were prominent.

Business career

Hendrick built Hendrick Automotive Group into a national network of franchised dealerships representing manufacturers such as General Motors, Chevrolet, Toyota, and Ford Motor Company franchises in various markets. His business activities expanded into used-car sales, service centers, financing operations with links to regional banking partners, and commercial real estate holdings in Charlotte, North Carolina and other metropolitan areas. Over decades he engaged with industry associations including the National Automobile Dealers Association, supplier networks, and corporate partners from the automotive industry, while managing corporate governance and succession planning involving family members and executives.

Hendrick Motorsports

Hendrick founded Hendrick Motorsports in the mid-1980s, assembling teams that competed in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers such as Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Terry Labonte, and Mark Martin. Under Hendrick's ownership the organization won multiple championships, including titles with Jeff Gordon and the consecutive championships achieved by Jimmie Johnson in the 2000s, and victories in marquee events such as the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400. The team developed technical partnerships with manufacturers like Chevrolet and collaborated with crew chiefs and engineers linked to Ray Evernham, Chad Knaus, and other prominent technical figures. Hendrick Motorsports has been central to driver development programs involving competitors from ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and developmental circuits, and it has influenced safety, engineering, and sponsorship models within NASCAR.

Personal life and philanthropy

Hendrick is married to Linda Hendrick and has participated in family-run business leadership alongside children and relatives, including roles that involved his son Ricky Hendrick before his death. Tragedy struck with the 2004 plane crash that killed Ricky Hendrick and other members of the Hendrick organization, an event that resonated across the NASCAR community and prompted safety and memorial initiatives involving teams, tracks, and associations. Rick Hendrick has supported philanthropic efforts tied to cancer research charities, regional hospitals, veteran services, and educational programs, often working with institutions such as Levine Cancer Institute, local hospitals, and community foundations in Charlotte, North Carolina and North Carolina at large.

Hendrick's businesses have occasionally been involved in legal and regulatory matters typical of large dealer groups, including disputes over franchise agreements, employment matters, and compliance with state motor vehicle statutes administered by agencies such as the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles. His operations have also intersected with high-profile industry litigation involving manufacturers, warranty programs, and lending practices managed by third-party finance partners. Public controversies have included scrutiny over executive decisions at Hendrick Motorsports and the ramifications of on-track incidents involving drivers affiliated with his teams, which prompted responses from NASCAR leadership and safety regulators such as the National Motorsports Appeals Panel.

Honors and awards

Hendrick has received recognition from motorsport and business organizations, including inductions and awards from halls of fame and industry groups. Honors include acknowledgment by the NASCAR Hall of Fame community, awards from the National Automobile Dealers Association, regional business accolades in Charlotte, North Carolina, and inductions into motorsport-related halls, reflecting his influence on stock car racing and automotive retail. He has been listed among influential figures in rankings by motorsport publications and business journals, and his teams' championship successes have resulted in team-level awards from NASCAR and associated sanctioning bodies.

Category:American businesspeople Category:NASCAR team owners Category:1949 births Category:Living people