Dallas-Mavs.com Forums - View Single Post - Breaking News: NASCAR Team Hendrick Plane Down: All ten dead

Drbio · 10-24-2004, 07:19 PM

All ten passengers are dead. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- A plane owned by the Hendrick Motorsports organization crashed Sunday on its way to a NASCAR race, killing all 10 people aboard, federal officials said.

Eight passengers and two pilots died in the crash, a spokesman with the National Transportation Safety Board said.

A spokesman for a funeral home where the bodies were being taken said the dead included four relatives of team owner Rick Hendrick, including his son Ricky and brother John.

The Beech 200 was on its way to NASCAR's Nextel Cup race at Martinsville Speedway when it went down, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The plane took off from Concord, N.C., and crashed in the Bull Mountain area about seven miles west of the Martinsville airport at about 12:30 p.m. ET.

NBC 6 News TV in Charlotte, N.C., reported that Hendrick Racing Team engine builder Randy Dorton also was on the airplane. NASCAR has spoken with Rick Hendrick, NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter told The Associated Press.

"We're working very closely with members of the Hendrick organization," Hunter said. "We're just saying extra prayers right now."

Rick Hendrick owns the teams of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Terry Labonte and Brian Vickers in the Nextel Cup Series.

Johnson won Sunday's Subway 500, his second straight Cup victory, but did not participate in any victory lane celebrations or interviews. His teammate Gordon did not meet with the media, either.

NASCAR learned of the plane's disappearance during the race and withheld the information from the Hendrick drivers until afterward, Hunter said. All the Hendrick drivers were summoned to the NASCAR hauler immediately after the race and Johnson was excused from Victory Lane.

Hendrick has been on a season-long celebration of its 20th anniversary in NASCAR's top series. The organization has won five of the series' top titles, three truck series titles, and one Busch series crown.

The team has more than 100 Cup series wins, making Hendrick just the second team owner in NASCAR's modern era to surpass that mark.

Hendrick employs more than 400 workers at the Charlotte-based Motorsports compound, which includes race shops and a 15,000-square-foot museum and team store.

He recently began grooming his son, Ricky, for a larger role with the company.

Ricky began his career driving a Busch car for his father, but retired in 2002 because of a shoulder injury suffered in a racing accident.

His father then made him the owner of the Busch car Vickers drove to the series championship last season, and that which Kyle Busch currently drives.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

10-24-2004, 07:19 PM	#5
Drbio Banned Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Nowhere Posts: 40,924	RE: Breaking News: NASCAR Team Hendrick Plane Missing All ten passengers are dead. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- A plane owned by the Hendrick Motorsports organization crashed Sunday on its way to a NASCAR race, killing all 10 people aboard, federal officials said. Eight passengers and two pilots died in the crash, a spokesman with the National Transportation Safety Board said. A spokesman for a funeral home where the bodies were being taken said the dead included four relatives of team owner Rick Hendrick, including his son Ricky and brother John. The Beech 200 was on its way to NASCAR's Nextel Cup race at Martinsville Speedway when it went down, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The plane took off from Concord, N.C., and crashed in the Bull Mountain area about seven miles west of the Martinsville airport at about 12:30 p.m. ET. NBC 6 News TV in Charlotte, N.C., reported that Hendrick Racing Team engine builder Randy Dorton also was on the airplane. NASCAR has spoken with Rick Hendrick, NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter told The Associated Press. "We're working very closely with members of the Hendrick organization," Hunter said. "We're just saying extra prayers right now." Rick Hendrick owns the teams of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Terry Labonte and Brian Vickers in the Nextel Cup Series. Johnson won Sunday's Subway 500, his second straight Cup victory, but did not participate in any victory lane celebrations or interviews. His teammate Gordon did not meet with the media, either. NASCAR learned of the plane's disappearance during the race and withheld the information from the Hendrick drivers until afterward, Hunter said. All the Hendrick drivers were summoned to the NASCAR hauler immediately after the race and Johnson was excused from Victory Lane. Hendrick has been on a season-long celebration of its 20th anniversary in NASCAR's top series. The organization has won five of the series' top titles, three truck series titles, and one Busch series crown. The team has more than 100 Cup series wins, making Hendrick just the second team owner in NASCAR's modern era to surpass that mark. Hendrick employs more than 400 workers at the Charlotte-based Motorsports compound, which includes race shops and a 15,000-square-foot museum and team store. He recently began grooming his son, Ricky, for a larger role with the company. Ricky began his career driving a Busch car for his father, but retired in 2002 because of a shoulder injury suffered in a racing accident. His father then made him the owner of the Busch car Vickers drove to the series championship last season, and that which Kyle Busch currently drives. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.