Rick Hendrick Bio: Career, Net Worth, Plane Crash & Motorsports

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Like football, racing is a trendy sport, and one such connoisseur is Rick Hendrick. A former race car driver now heads Hendrick Motorsports. Although his career didn’t span many years, Rick gained prominence as an entrepreneur.

Rick Hendrick, age
                                Rick Hendrick at a racing event

Imbued with the value of hard work and determination, Rick developed a passion for cars at an early age. Setting records locally, he intended to make it big one day.

A great leader, Hendrick’s core value will echo through history books someday. Let’s find out more about the Americans!

Quick Facts about Rick Hendrick

Full Name  Joseph Riddick “Rick” Hendrick III
Known As Rick Hendrick
Birthdate 12 July 1949
Age 74 Years Old
Horoscope Cancer
 Birth Country Palmer Springs, Virginia, United States
Father’s Name  Joseph Hendrick
Mother’s Name Mary Hendrick
Sibling John Hendrick
Married Yes
Spouse Linda Hendrick
Children Two (A son and a daughter)
Son’s Name Ricky Hendrick (deceased
Daughter’s Name Lynn Carlson
Grandchild Josephine Riddick Hendrick
Profession Race Car Driver (Former)

Owner of Hendrick Motorsports (Current)

Best Finish 63rd (1988) – NASCAR  Cup Series

64th (1987) – NASCAR Xfinity Series

88th (1995) – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

First Race 1987 Winston Western 500 (Riverside) – NASCAR Cup Series

1987 Amoco 300 (Road Atlanta) – NASCAR Xfinity Series

1995 Heartland Tailgate 175 (Topeka) –  NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Last Race 1988 Budweiser 400 (Riverside) – NASCAR Cup Series
Business Hendrick Motor Sports
Awards · 13-time NASCAR Cup Champion (as an owner)

· NASCAR Hall of Fame (Class of 2017)

Net Worth  $1.2 billion
Last Update April, 2024

Rick Hendrick Wiki-Bio | Early Career & Life

Joseph Riddick “Rick” Hendrick III, popularly known as Rick Hendrick, is Mary and Joseph Hendrick, Jr and was born on 12 July 1949, in Warrenton, North Carolina.

Growing up on a farm, he developed a passion for drag racing. Eventually, at 14 years, Rick fulfilled the dream by competing in a self-built 1931 Chevrolet.

Rick Hendrick, early life
                                          A young Rick Hendrick

Similarly, Chrysler-Plymouth held a troubleshooting contest in which Hendrick was victorious. He was 16 at that time. Thereafter, Rick enrolled in Park View High School, located in South Hill, Virginia.

While there, he considered switching to the profession of becoming a baseball player. Although upon graduation, Hendrick opted for a co-op study program granted by North Carolina State University and Westinghouse Electric Company.

Rick Hendrick Age, Height, & Stats

At present, the former racer is 70 years old. In like manner, the American stands at the height of 6’0″(1.83 m) and weighs an astonishing 90 kg.

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Despite a mild career, Rick is widely famous for managing Hendrick Motorsports. People largely attribute the success of the company in NASCAR to the former racer.

Rick Hendrick | Career: Racing & Owner

Upon completion of the co-op program, Hendrick jumped into launching his business. With Mike Leith, Hendrick Automotive Group opened, which operated basically as a used-car lot.

Later, the racer became the youngest Chevrolet dealer in the U.S., after selling his assets and purchasing a franchise in Bennettsville, South Carolina.

Rick Hendrick, owner
  Rick Hendrick with his drivers after winning a sprint series

Furthermore, his racing career includes 33rd place in the Winston Cup Series and 15th place the following year.

His other racing credits include Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series. Apart from being a racer, Hendrick also worked as a pit crew member for Flying 11.

In 1996, Governor of California, Jim Hunt, bestowed the former racer with the Long Leaf Pine Order, one of the highest civilian honors.

Continuing his business ventures, Rick established a drag boat racing team that set the world record highest speed achieved and won championships three times in a row.

Similarly, Hendrick set foot in NASCAR Model Sportsman Series, now renamed to Xfinity Series, which earned a victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

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In the same way, in 1984, Hendrick became a founder of All-Star Racing, now known as Hendrick Motorsports.

The managerial period was fruitful for the former racer who led his team to 296 wins, 3 Camping World Series, 16 Drivers’ Championships and won an Xfinity Series and 12 Sprint Cup Series.

career
            Rick Hendrick with race car drivers on the pitch

Most notorious for being the successful NASCAR team owner, Rick also had a fondness for owning cars.

As such, he bought Goodwrench IMSA GTP Corvette, which was famously driven by Sarel van der Merwe and Doc Bundy. Although the team had many pole finishes but didn’t win many races, the project got abandoned after mixed successes.

At present, Hendrick has four full-time drivers for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, namely:  Jimmie Johnson, Chase Elliott, William Byron, and Alex Bowman. Jeff Gordon will succeed Rick Hendrick after the latter steps down as the owner, as stated in public on December 13 of 2018.

Controversy & Headlining News

After pleading guilty to mail fraud, for instance, Hendrick allegedly supplied an enormous sum of money, BMW Automobiles, and houses to the Honda executives during the rise of Honda automobiles.

Further, it was bribe solicitation to disburse products on a larger scale.

As a result, Rick had to face home confinement for 12 months, serve three years of probation, and relinquish his ownership of Hendrick Automotive Group and Hendrick Motorsports.

During Bill Clinton’s presidency, the businessman received a presidential pardon in 2000. Another headlining news in Rick’s life was when he and his wife were in an airplane crash. Linda emerged unharmed, whereas Rick suffered injuries to his ribs and clavicle.

Rick Hendrick | Net Worth & Salary

Being in business has its perks. Reportedly, Rick Hendrick has an astounding, mouth-watering, jaw-dropping net worth of $1 billion.

In the same way, he owns Hendrick Motorsports, which competes in NASCAR and also All-Star Racing company, which generates revenue greater than $3.5 billion every year.

Rick Hendrick, net worth
     Rick Hendrick’s private jet plane with call sign: N500RH

After Bennettsville, the business tycoon went onto open 98 franchises. With over 10k employees, the company sells over 100k vehicles and services 1.5 million cars per year.

Hence, it isn’t surprising that he is a billionaire at this point and even owns a jet, Gulfstream V. Despite living an exquisite lifestyle, Hendrick knows the value of money and believes in kindness and generosity.

Philanthropic Efforts

In 1997, Rick, along with his wife, started Be The Match Foundation, which raises funds to find matches for bone marrow transplants.

His company ensures the costs of transplantation. Moreover, the foundation managed to raise millions of dollars and discovered several thousands of potential donors.

philanthropic work
Rick Hendrick started Be The Match foundation with wife Linda

Likewise, through the Hendrick Family Fund for Patient Assistance, patients totaling more than 5000 had provisions to ease financial problems.

The Hendrick Foundation for Children is another establishment that aims for the upliftment and treatment of young people with a debilitating disease, disease, or other ailments.

Rick Hendrick Relationship | Wife & Kids

Rick married his longtime sweetheart Linda Hendrick. The exact date and year of marriage are unavailable.

Nonetheless, the couple bore two children from their wedding. Ricky Hendrick was a NASCAR driver like his father, who succumbed to death after an airplane crash.

Rick Hendrick, wife
                                  Rick Hendrick and wife Linda

Lynn Carlson, Rick and Linda’s daughter, is alive to this today. Even after several years of marriage, the couple is not bored and seem to be enjoying their company more than ever.

Social Media Presence

Unfortunately, Rick isn’t present on any social media platform. However, as soon as something gets discovered. This section will get updated.

Common Queries about Rick Hendrick

How old is Rick Hendrick?

Rick Hendrick is already is in his 70s. As of 2021, he is 71 years old.

How many dealerships does Rick Hendrick own?

Rick Hendrick owns a total of 80 dealership franchises. His dealerships are flourished across 10 states. 

In fact, his dealerships happen to be the sixth-largest auto dealership in the United States.

How many cars did Rick Hendrick buy at the Barrett Jackson’s auction?

Hendrick purchased a 2020 Corvette Stingray worth $3 million at the Barrett Jackson’s auction.

In fact, he is a Corvette junkie. When he purchased his new 2020 Corvette Stingray, he already owned a few noteworthy Corvettes. Some of which are: the first made in 1955, 1956 and 1957, the first Corvette ZR1 to roll off the line in 1989, etc.

How many corvettes does Rick Hendrick have in his collection?

Rick Hendrick has a collection of a few of the rarest cars in the world. In his collection, there are 120 corvettes.

 

Aaditya Bhatta
Aaditya Bhatta

Aaditya Bhatta

Aaditya Bhatta is a dynamic writer and sports enthusiast, whose passion for both realms is reflected in his work. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for storytelling, Aaditya brings a unique perspective to his writing, captivating readers with his engaging content.

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Aaditya's journey as a writer and sports aficionado began at a young age when he discovered his passion for both pursuits. Throughout his academic and professional endeavors, Aaditya has honed his skills in content creation and sports analysis, immersing himself in the intricacies of the games he loves.

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