'Papa Joe', father of Rick Hendrick, passes away

Nascar.Com ^ | 7/15/04 | Lee Montgomery, Turner Sports Interactive

[Johnny Gage]

CONCORD, N.C. -- The patriarch of one of NASCAR's most powerful teams, Joseph Riddick "Papa Joe" Hendrick Jr., died Wednesday, a team spokesman confirmed.

"Papa Joe" is the father of Rick Hendrick, the owner of Hendrick Motorsports, which fields the cars of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Terry Labonte and Brian Vickers in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and of Kyle Busch in the Busch Series.

The team plans to release a statement later Thursday.

Papa Joe and grandson Ricky Hendrick were co-owners of Vickers' team, as well as Busch's team.

The road in Harrisburg, N.C. where Hendrick Motorsports is located is called Papa Joe Hendrick Boulevard in honor of the man who introduced his two sons, Rick and John, to motorsports many years earlier.

The Hendrick family lived on a farm near South Hill, Va., and Rick and John spent many hours tending the fields.

Papa Joe co-owned a car with long-time friend Frank Edwards, and Rick got interested in stock-car racing through his father.

"I remember going to a race with my dad when I was about six years old," Rick said in the book, "Twenty Years of Hendrick Motorsports. "It was at Hillsborough, N.C., and I remember Junior Johnson came rolling up with a Dodge on a flatbed truck. I think the Pettys had some kind of a grudge race against Buddy and Buck Baker. That's how far back I can remember."

[Johnny Gage]

Prayers for the Hendrick family, and the members of Hendrick Motorsports.

[steveegg]

Sad-news NASCAR mini-ping.

Prayers to the Hendrick family.

[glock rocks]

I'm pinging the FR NASCAR ping list,

and joining in prayers for the Hendrick family.

Rest in peace Papa Joe.

[Pete-R-Bilt]

Thanks for the heads up Steve

I can't remember a car Earnhardt Sr. drove that didn't have Papa Joes on it...

[Conspiracy Guy]

Do you still have me a Flurry on your Ping list?

Rest in Peace Papa Joe.

[NormsRevenge]

A piece of racing history gets the call home.

God Bless Papa Joe.

Condolences to the family and friends.

[Vigilantcitizen]

Rest in peace Papa Joe.

Prayers for the Hendrick family.

[WestCoastGal]

Rest in Peace papa Joe........prayers for the entire Hendrick family and organization.

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.

[tubebender]

Papa Joe has taken the Checkered Flag. Rest in Peace...

[Sunshine55]

He's fishin' with Dale and Neil now.

[flutters]

RIP, Papa Joe.

[countrydummy]

Rest in peace Papa Joe.
Prayers for the Hendrich family.

[B4Ranch]

What a miserable way to end the race!

[wvromania]

doesn't this make a total of "5" family members lost since wednesday for Rick.

[glock rocks]

THis is a July thread concerning the loss of Papa Joe.

Nonetheless, how very very sad.