In Honor of 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Rick Hendrick

In Honor of 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Rick Hendrick

Topics: NASCAR, Rick Hendrick

In Honor of 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Rick Hendrick

Congressman Richard Hudson
Congressional Record: 114th Congress
Extensions of Remarks
15 June 2016

SPEECH OF HON. RICHARD HUDSON OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2016

Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate racing legend, and my friend, Rick Hendrick upon his induction into the eighth class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

A native of Warrenton, North Carolina, Rick Hendrick was born with racing in his blood. At an early age his father, ``Papa Joe'' Hendrick, instilled in Rick the value of a hard day's work and a love of automobiles. At the age of 14, he made a name for himself by shattering speed records at the local drag strip.

After purchasing a Chevrolet dealership, he quickly found success which led to the creation of Hendrick Automotive Group--the largest privately held dealership in the country. In 1984, he founded All-Star Racing which would eventually become Hendrick Motorsports. Headquartered in my district in Concord, North Carolina, Hendrick Motorsports is now consistently recognized as one of the sport's premier operations.

As an owner, Rick Hendrick has won a total of 14 NASCAR national series championships, the most all-time. Drivers for Hendrick Motorsports have become household names including the likes of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Terry Labonte, Kasey Kahne, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. In total, Hendrick Motorsports has delivered an incredible 242 total wins. You would be hard pressed to find anyone more deserving of this honor.

This year's class was selected by a comprehensive voting panel that included track owners, retired competitors, industry leaders, members of the media, and a nationwide fan vote. In total, a group of five was chosen to join the ranks of other NASCAR legends in the Hall of Fame. Mr. Hendrick is extremely deserving of this honor and will now be enshrined forever for his contributions to the sport.

Mr. Speaker, please join me today in congratulating Rick Hendrick, his wife Linda, and their entire family on Rick's induction to the NASCAR Hall of Fame