Hendrick Motorsports’ history at Martinsville marked by dominance, tragedy and triumph

When Chase Elliott was growing up, it felt like anyone who’d climbed into a race car had aspirations of driving for Hendrick Motorsports.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Rick Hendrick-owned NASCAR team struggled in its infancy, but its initial run of success began with its first win — at Martinsville on April 29, 1984, when Geoff Bodine delivered the first of 304 (and counting) wins for an unseasoned team struggling to stay afloat.

Elliott, the 28-year-old who’s been voted the sport’s Most Popular Driver for six years in a row, remembers watching Hendrick drivers dominate when he was growing up in the 2000s. Jimmie Johnson won five straight Cup Series championships from 2006-10, and followed another dynastic title run from Jeff Gordon and Terry LaBonte.

“It’s crazy that it worked out like it did,” Elliott told The Observer. “For me to have an opportunity to be here. Still kind of wild to think about. Just me watching the dominance that they were having over the course of the early, mid-2000s, and to wind up driving for him one day.

“It’s a special place. Rick — and HMS has a whole — has changed my life. And I’m grateful for it.”

Martinsville legacy

Auto racing’s top circuit returns to a track that may hold more significance to the Hendrick team than any other, and for that reason, Elliott, along with teammates Alex Bowman, William Byron and Kyle Larson, are driving special ruby red cars at Martinsville to commemorate the organization’s milestone.

The half-mile track shaped like a paper clip is home to the triumphant victory that jump-started the success of the team 14-time Cup Series champions.

An unthinkable tragedy defines the team’s legacy at Martinsville just as much.

On Oct. 24, 2004, a Hendrick plane crashed into the side of nearby Bull Mountain. All 10 people aboard the aircraft died, including Ricky Hendrick — Rick’s only son, who was a promising driver — in addition to Hendrick’s brother, John, and nieces, Kimberly and Jennifer.

“You can just tell when something means a little extra to the boss and Linda (Hendrick, Rick’s wife),” Elliott said. “And it does. This is a place that has had a lot of success for the Hendrick Motorsports family — and a terrible loss. For that reason, it’s special in both good and horrific ways.

“It’s kind of crazy, the timing and the meaning behind it all. I think there’s just a lot of emotion around it.”

Hendrick is still the team to beat

Rick Hendrick, now 74, was initially going to drive the pace car on Sunday, but NASCAR announced that he recently underwent knee surgery and will not be able to attend Sunday’s race.

Having collected three wins in the seven races thus far, Hendrick Motorsports is asserting its dominance once again. All four of its drivers currently sit at least 11th in the Cup Series standings.

People at Hendrick’s shop in Concord have been amazed by these new cars — “ruby” being the traditional stone for 40th anniversaries, according to the team — constantly walking outside and looking at them in the days leading up to Sunday’s race.

Larson’s car — representing Hendrick’s first car number, No. 5 — also includes Linda Hendrick’s signature emblazoned on the side door.

Hendrick’s wife has been starting to play a bigger role in the team, frequently giving speeches as her husband “just hands the mic over to her, and she always says the right things,” Larson explained.

“For them to go from this potentially being their last race ever 40 years ago, to winning it, to seeing what’s been built to now is just amazing,” said Larson, who won the pole position for the race. “They’re the greatest team in the sport. I don’t think you can argue that.”