American racing driver (1929–1990)
NASCAR driver
Ray Hendrick (April 1, 1929 – September 28, 1990) was an American race car driver. He was known as "Mr. Modified" during his 36-year career in motorsports , mainly in the modified stock car racing class.
The Virginia native collected more than 700 victories in modifieds and the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Series (later known as Busch Grand National Division). Ray Hendrick was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2012, and was inducted in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2007.
Hendrick raced his famous winged No. 11 Modified coupe fielded by Jack Tant and Clayton Mitchell. Rick Hendrick (no relation) was a pit crew member on his car in the 1960s.[ 1] The Richmond, Virginia star won five track championships at South Boston Speedway , four of them while competing in the NASCAR Modified division and one in the NASCAR Late Model Sportsman division.
Ray never won the National Modified Championship but finished in the Top 10 in Points nine times:
7th in 1960,
9th in 1961,
6th in 1963,
3rd in 1964,
7th in 1965,
3rd in 1966,
5th in 1967,
6th in 1968, and
10th in 1969.
Ray also finished 8th in 1974 and 9th in 1975 in the National Late Model Sportsman Points before it became known as the Busch Grand National Division . Ray won the Modified "Race of Champions" 2 times, in 1969 on the 1-mile Langhorne Speedway asphalt and in 1975 on the Trenton Speedway 1.5-mile oval. Ray is 1st on the all-time winners list of Martinsville Speedway with 20 wins between 1963 and 1975. Next on the list is Richard Petty with 15 wins, followed by Geoff Bodine , Darrell Waltrip , and Richie Evans . Ray also won a 100 Lap National Championship race on Memorial Day Weekend of 1970 at Stafford Motor Speedway .
Hendrick was best known for his racing philosophy of racing anywhere and everywhere. Hendrick's modified career and philosophy of racing anywhere and everywhere prevented him from competing full-time in NASCAR Winston Cup . In 17 starts, he collected two top-five and six top-10 finishes.
Racing record
(Note: NASCAR didn't keep an official record on statistics for the Xfinity Series until 1982 or the Whelen Modified Tour until 1985 )
Season
Series
Team Name
Races
Poles
Wins
Points
Final Placing
1953
National Modified Series
–
154
1+
-
-
3,461
14th
1954
Sportsman Division
–
-
-
-
-
222
798th
National Modified Series
–
-
-
-
-
3,004
8th
1956
Grand National Series
Sam McCuthen
25/44
2
0
0
0
228th
1957
NASCAR Convertible Division
J.S. Rice
90
3
0
0
536
46th
1959
Sportsman Division
–
-
1
-
-
-
-
1960
National Modified Series
–
-
-
-
-
2,572
7th
1961
National Modified Series
–
-
-
-
-
3,064
9th
1962
Grand National Series
Rebel Racing
35
2
0
0
0
83rd
National Modified Series
–
2
1+
-
-
3,036
6th
1963
Grand National Series
Rebel Racing
35
2
0
0
716
87th
National Modified Series
–
-
2+
-
1+
3,036
6th
1964
National Modified Series
–
11
3+
-
-
4,675
3rd
1965
National Modified Series
–
-
-
-
-
2,958
7th
1966
National Modified Series
–
11
3+
-
1+
5,872
3rd
1967
Grand National Series
Cotton Owens
5
1
0
0
0
112th
National Modified Series
Jack Tant
11/90
2+
-
-
4,210
5th
1968
Grand National Series
Tom Friedkin
14/15
4
0
0
0
95th
National Modified Series
–
-
-
-
-
4,054
6th
1969
Grand National Series
Ray Hendrick
20
1
0
0
76
75th
Late Model Sportsman Division
-
11
1+
-
-
2,301
16th
Grand Touring
–
-
1+
-
-
-
-
1970
National Modified Series
Jack Tant
-
-
1+
1+
2,979
11th
Late Model Sportsman Division
Bob Adams
-
1+
1+
1+
2,301
16th
Grand American
–
0
1+
-
-
-
-
1971
Winston Cup Series
L.G. DeWitt
42
1
0
0
0
-
Late Model Sportsman Division
-
38
2+
-
2+
2,301
16th
National Modified Series
-
1
1+
-
-
-
-
1972
Winston Cup Series
Dave Marcis
2
1
0
0
0
-
Late Model Sportsman Division
-
38
1+
-
-
-
-
1973
Winston Cup Series
Junie Donlavey
90
2
0
0
0
88th
1974
Winston Cup Series
Nord Krauskopf
71
1
0
0
0.62
128th
Late Model Sportsman Division
-
15
2+
-
-
4,262
8th
National Modified Series
–
1
2+
-
-
-
-
1975
Late Model Sportsman Division
-
-
1+
-
1+
3,450
9th
National Modified Series
–
01
1+
-
-
1,381
20th
1976
Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series
Dick Armstrong
01
2+
-
-
-
-
National Modified Series
–
01
1+
-
-
1,381
20th
1977
Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series
-
01
7+
-
1+
2,085
14th
National Modified Series
–
01
4+
-
-
725
31st
1978
Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series
-
62/90
3+
-
-
1,637
14th
National Modified Series
–
26
3+
-
1+
857
23rd
1979
Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series
-
02
1+
-
-
2,007
10th
1980
Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series
-
02
4+
-
1+
1,415
18th
Grand American
–
-
1+
-
-
-
-
1981
Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series
-
-
2+
-
-
-
-
1982
Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series
-
-
7
0
0
965
27th
1983
Late Model Stock Car
-
-
1
0
0
-
-
Awards
References
External links
Years active 1969–2003
Personnel Former drivers Partnerships and affiliations