The location of Hendrick Motorsports, on “Papa Joe Hendrick Boulevard” in Charlotte, N.C., is a fitting tribute to the man who laid the groundwork for its success decades ago near the small town of South Hill, Va., where his two sons, company founder Rick Hendrick and his brother, HMS president John Hendrick, were introduced to the world of motor sports.
Fondly referred to as “Papa Joe,” Joseph R. Hendrick Jr. began racing modifieds in the early 1960s with longtime friend Frank Edwards. While fielding a car with driver Ray Hendrick (no relation), the team won races throughout the state of Virginia at tracks like South Boston, Martinsville and Richmond.
As children, Rick and John experienced high-speed competition first-hand as they rode to nearby tracks in the back of their father’s pickup truck. In 1965, Joe and 14-year-old Rick built the eldest son’s first racing machine, which set records at a local drag strip.
Throughout the years, Papa Joe Hendrick has become a fixture at Hendrick Motorsports and remains one of NASCAR’s most beloved figures. With his grandson, Ricky Hendrick, he now co-owns the No. 25 GMAC Racing team with driver Brian Vickers in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, along with the NASCAR Busch Series No. 5 Lowe’s team with pilot Kyle Busch.
