NASCAR TRAGEDY: 10 Killed in Hendrick Plane crash

[Gordonfan24]

I just wanted to share the upsetting news so that more people were aware of the loss of a great family in NASCAR:

Breaking News: Hendrick plane crashes en route to NASCAR race; 10 killed

By DANIELLE SCHULMAN / WCNC.com

"A Virginia funeral home confirms they expect the bodies of ten people who were on the Hendrick Motorsports Aviation plane that crashed Sunday in the Bull Mountain area near Martinsville, Virginia.

Names given by the funeral home include: Ricky Hendrick, John Hendrick, Kimberley Hendrick, Jennifer Hendrick, Dick Tracy, Joe Jackson, Liz Morrison, Jeff Turner, Randy Dorton and Scott Lathum. John Hendrick is team owner Rick Hendrick's brother, while Ricky Hendrick is his son. Randy Dorton is an engine builder for the company. Kimberley and Jennifer are the daughters of John Hendrick. Turner is general manager of Rick Hendrick Motorsports.

Rick Hendrick was not on the plane, NASCAR officials said.

The plane was expected to land at the Blue Ridge Airport so the passengers could be at the Martinsville Speedway in time for the start of the Subway 500 in Martinsville. The airport is eight miles southwest of Martinsville. The airport is much smaller than Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, with only two runways.

Sources with Robert Yates Racing say it was foggy at the time of the crash and the plane overshot the runway and then crashed into the side of Bull Mountain.

The plane was reported missing around 3 p.m. Sunday. The FAA and NTSB are investigating.

NASCAR official Jim Hunter talked about the plane crash investigation around 5 p.m. Sunday.

The plane was en route to Martinsville and they lost it on radar and that s all the information we have, said Hunter. We ve been in contact with Rick Hendrick we just don t have a lot of details at the moment we are going to say a prayer for everyone in the Hendick organization."

Hendrick Motorsports Aviation is based out of Concord, N.C. A pilot for the company says that they own about 11 or 12 planes.

Hendrick owns the teams of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Terry Labonte and Brian Vickers in the Nextel Cup Series. Johnson won Sunday's race at Martinsville Speedway.

NASCAR learned of the plane's disappearance during the race and withheld the information from the Hendrick drivers until afterward, Hunter said. All the Hendrick drivers were summoned to the NASCAR hauler immediately after the race and Johnson was excused from Victory Lane.

Hendrick has been on a season-long celebration of its 20th anniversary in NASCAR's top series. The organization has won five of the series' top titles, three truck series titles, and one Busch series crown.

The team has over 100 Cup series wins, making Hendrick just the second team owner in NASCAR's modern era to surpass that mark.

Hendrick employs more than 400 workers at the Charlotte-based Motorsports compound, which includes race shops and a 15,000-square-foot museum and team store.

He recently began grooming his son, Ricky, for a larger role with the company.

Ricky began his career driving a Busch car for his father, but retired in 2002 because of a shoulder injury suffered in a racing accident.

His father then made him the owner of the Busch car Vickers drove to the series championship last season, and Kyle Busch currently pilots."



Thanks for your time. May God bless the Hendrick family and all of Hendrick Motorsports.

 

[JohnBM01]

Gordonfan, you may know that I'm a big fan of Jeff Gordon. And whether or not you like NASCAR or even Hendrick Motorsports, it doesn't matter in this sense. This is for something more important and more impactful- the loss of some members of a prestigious race team. I'm deeply sorry for all the members of the plane who died in that plane crash. I'm still very saddened for Hendrick Motorsports, its fans, its affiliates, and everyone else involved or close by Hendrick Motorsports. It's a shameful loss. I guess to speak on a lighter tone, I guess you can say the lost members of Hendrick Motorsports on that plane would have been proud to see Jeff Gordon edge closer and closer to getting a fifth Championship by moving up to 2nd in the "Chase for the Cup."

Even with a few men and women down, H.M. will still remain a dominant force on the ovals and road courses. My heart is with all the lives affected with Hendrick Motorsports. And fear not Hendrick Motorsports will ride the high banks and tackle the tricky chicanes all in honor of Hendrick Motorsports.

So race on, Hendrick Motorsports!

 

[Gordonfan24]

Thanks, John. Very respectable reply. I know I was a little late in getting this story on GTPlanet, but I saw no one else wrote about it. . . I had to get the message out there because it is a devastating blow to all of NASCAR. I am really upset over what a life young Ricky Hendrick had ahead of him. He was only in his early 20s and he had already won a Champioship in his first year as a Busch Series team-owner. He was a great driver, a great owner, and most of all, a great person.