Background
He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on April 2, 1980, and began his career in racing at the age of fifteen.
racing driver National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing team owner
He was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on April 2, 1980, and began his career in racing at the age of fifteen.
One year later, he entered the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing Busch Series (now Xfinity Series) at Myrtle Beach Speedway, where he qualified fifth and finished 20th.
He competed in both the Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series before his death from an airplane accident on October 24, 2004. He was killed with seven other family members and friends during the accident. Hendrick began his career in auto racing at the age of 15 by racing in the Legends Series Summer Shootout.
He continued to run the series in 2000, with the addition of competing in the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing Craftsman Truck Series (now Camping World Truck Series).
During Busch series season he was involved in two accidents, and received a mild concussion in one of them. In 2001, he started to compete in all the Truck races.
However, at the end of the season, he finished second in the Rookie of the Year Standings, with Travis Kvapil winning the award. In 2002, he moved to the Busch Series with Jack Sprague.
During the season he was involved in an accident at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, sustaining a shoulder injury.
He required surgery and two months of healing before he could race again. However, Hendrick decided to retire from driving in October of the same year. Hendrick also founded a motorcycle dealership in Pineville, North Carolina, named Ricky Hendrick"s Performance Honda.
On October 24, 2004, around 12:30 p.m.
EDT, Hendrick died in a plane crash near Martinsville, Virginia, killing him and nine others The plane, on its way to the Martinsville Speedway for the Subway 500, crashed on Bulletin Mountain due to pilot error in heavy fog.
After Hendrick died, his 18-year-old fiancée Emily Maynard found out she was pregnant. Maynard later competed in season 15 of The Bachelor and season eight of The Bachelorette.