Career
He was known as "Mr. Modified" during his 36-year career in motorsports, mainly in the modified stock car racing class. The Virginia native collected more than 700 victories in modifieds, National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing Winston Cup series, and late model sportsman series (later known as Busch Grand National division). Ray Hendrick was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2012, and was inducted in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2007.
Hendrick raced his famous winged Number.
11 Modified coupe fielded by Jack Tant and Clayton Mitchell. Rick Hendrick (no relation) was a pit crew member on his car in the 1960s.
7th in 1960,
9th in 1961,
6th in 1963,
3rd in 1964,
7th in 1965,
3rd in 1966,
5th in 1967,
6th in 1968, and
10th in 1969. Ray also finished 8th in 1974 and 9th in 1975 in the National Late Model Sportsman Points before it became known as the Busch Grand National Division.
Ray is 1st on the all-time winners list of Martinsville Speedway with 20 wins between 1963 and 1975.
Next on the list is Richard Petty with 15 wins, followed by Geoff Bodine, Darrell Waltrip, and Richie Evans. Hendrick was best known for his racing philosophy of racing anywhere and everywhere. Hendrick"s modified career and philosophy of racing anywhere and everywhere prevented him from competing full-time in National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing Winston Cup.
In 17 starts, he collected two top-five and six top-10 finishes.