Breaking News: NASCAR Team Hendrick Plane Down: All ten dead

[Drbio]

A plane carrying team members from Rick Hendrick's NASCAR team is missing. A search is on for the plane. There is no information yet on who is on the plane, but Hendrick Motorsports teams include Jeff Gordon's team, Terry Labonte's team, Jimmie Johnson's Team, Brian Vicker's team, and Kyle Busch's team.

Tragic loss if this plane is down.

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

[Drbio]

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- A plane carrying members of the Hendrick Motorsports organization crashed Sunday afternoon on its way to NASCAR's Nextel Cup race at Martinsville Speedway, NASCAR officials confirmed.


Rick Hendrick, founder and owner of Hendrick Racing, was not on the plane. NBC 6 News TV in Charlotte, N.C., reported that John Hendrick, Ricky Hendrick and engine builder Randy Dorton were on the airplane, as were two pilots and five other passengers. John Hendrick is team owner Rick Hendrick's brother, while Ricky Hendrick is the owner's son. Dorton is the organization's chief engine builder.


There has been no confirmation on injuries or fatalities. Rick Hendrick owns the teams of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Terry Labonte and Brian Vickers in the Nextel Cup Series.


An FAA spokeswoman confirmed for the Charlotte Observer that a Beech 200, owned by the Hendrick Racing Team, left Concord (N.C.) Regional Airport and crashed about 10 miles west of Martinsville Speedway at about 12:30 p.m. ET.


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 has spoken with team owner Rick Hendrick, Hunter said, but he added that no other details about who was on the plane, where it disappeared or what may have preceded the loss of contact were immediately available.


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


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.

[Male30Dan]

This is quite tragic!!!

Everyone please send your prayers!

[Male30Dan]

Edit.

[Drbio]

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.

[Phil Helmuth]

It's confirmed, all 10 are dead.