late-model-stock

Mini Tyrrell to Honor Ricky Hendrick’s Late Model Success in Throwback 276 at Hickory

Mooresville, NC 7/9/21 –  Mini Tyrrell will honor Ricky Hendrick, the son of Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, with the #7 Quaker State Chevrolet in the CARS Tour Throwback 276 at Hickory Motor Speedway on July 31.

 

Tyrrell’s green and white livery for the Throwback 276 reflects Ricky’s success in the #7 Late Model in 1998 and 1999. Hendrick’s most successful times in his Late Model came at the now-defunct Concord Speedway in North Carolina. Hendrick drove the #7 Quaker State Late Model to four wins —  including three victories in 1998.  Tyrrell’s car will include the four winner’s decals from Hendrick’s victories at Concord Speedway.

 

After his success in Late Models, Ricky moved up to drive a limited schedule in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series for a team owned by Jeff Gordon and Ray Evernham. In 2001, he raced full-time in the NASCAR Truck Series for Hendrick Motorsports where he scored 19 top-10 finishes in 24 races. The highlight of his season was a win on July 7, 2001 at Kansas Speedway where he celebrated with his parents in Victory Lane.

 

After becoming a full-time driver in the Busch Grand National Series for Hendrick Motorsports in 2002, Ricky sustained a serious shoulder injury in a March crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Following surgery, he missed eight weeks of action before returning in May. However, after suffering lingering effects from the injury, he made the difficult decision to permanently leave the driver’s seat in October 2002.

 

Hendrick became an executive with the racing organization and was instrumental in recruiting Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, and Brian Vickers to drive for Hendrick Motorsports. On October 24, 2004, Ricky was tragically killed in a plane crash along with nine other members of the Hendrick Motorsports and NASCAR community en route to a race at Martinsville Speedway. He was just 24 years old.

 

In a tradition that began when Jimmie Johnson won at Atlanta Motor Speedway the week after the tragic plane crash in 2004, whenever a Hendrick Motorsports driver wins a NASCAR race, every member of the winning race team will turn their hat around backwards in Victory Lane and point skyward to honor Ricky’s memory and everlasting impact.

 

 

Tickets for the 3rd Annual Baker Distributing “Throwback 276” presented by Honeywell Homes are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate on sale via the CARS Tour website at www.carsracingtour.com. Fans can also pre order Throwback 276 merchandise via the website by clicking on the “Store” button located on the menu at the top of the page.

 

For additional information on the CARS Late Model Stock Tour and the CARS Super Late Model Tour visit www.carsracingtour.com. Be sure to stay active and social with the tour by liking “CARS Tour” on Facebook, following @CARSTour on Twitter, and scrolling through photos on Instagram cars_tour. Additional series information can be obtained by calling the CARS Tour series office, located in Mooresville, NC, at 704.662.9212.