Ray Hendrick


Ray Hendrick 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. Ray Hendrick was inducted into the Virginia Sports [Hall of Fame and Museum|Virginia Sports Hall of Fame] in 2012, the International [Motorsports Hall of Fame] in 2007, and will be inducted in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2026.
Hendrick raced his famous winged No. 11 Modified coupe fielded by Jack Tant and Clayton Mitchell. Rick Hendrick was a pit crew member on his car in the 1960s. 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.
Hendrick never won the National Modified Championship but finished in the top-ten 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.
Hendrick also finished eighth in 1974 and ninth 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. Hendrick is first 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. Hendrick 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-ten finishes.

Racing record

SeasonSeriesTeam NameRacesPolesWinsPointsFinal Placing
1953National Modified Series–1541+--3,46114th
1954Sportsman Division–----222798th
1954National Modified Series–----3,0048th
1956Grand National SeriesSam McCuthen25/442000228th
1957NASCAR Convertible DivisionJ.S. Rice9030053646th
1959Sportsman Division–-1----
1960National Modified Series–----2,5727th
1961National Modified Series–----3,0649th
1962Grand National SeriesRebel Racing35200083rd
1962National Modified Series–21+--3,0366th
1963Grand National SeriesRebel Racing3520071687th
1963National Modified Series–-2+-1+3,0366th
1964National Modified Series–113+--4,6753rd
1965National Modified Series–----2,9587th
1966National Modified Series–113+-1+5,8723rd
1967Grand National SeriesCotton Owens51000112th
1967National Modified SeriesJack Tant11/902+--4,2105th
1968Grand National SeriesTom Friedkin14/15400095th
1968National Modified Series–----4,0546th
1969Grand National SeriesRay Hendrick201007675th
1969Late Model Sportsman Division-111+--2,30116th
1969Grand Touring–-1+----
1970National Modified SeriesJack Tant--1+1+2,97911th
1970Late Model Sportsman DivisionBob Adams-1+1+1+2,30116th
1970Grand American–01+----
1971Winston Cup SeriesL. G. DeWitt421000-
1971Late Model Sportsman Division-382+-2+2,30116th
1971National Modified Series-11+----
1972Winston Cup SeriesDave Marcis21000-
1972Late Model Sportsman Division-381+----
1973Winston Cup SeriesJunie Donlavey90200088th
1974Winston Cup SeriesNord Krauskopf711000.62128th
1974Late Model Sportsman Division-152+--4,2628th
1974National Modified Series–12+----
1975Late Model Sportsman Division--1+-1+3,4509th
1975National Modified Series–011+--1,38120th
1976Budweiser Late Model Sportsman SeriesDick Armstrong012+----
1976National Modified Series–011+--1,38120th
1977Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series-017+-1+2,08514th
1977National Modified Series–014+--72531st
1978Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series-62/903+--1,63714th
1978National Modified Series–263+-1+85723rd
1979Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series-021+--2,00710th
1980Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series-024+-1+1,41518th
1980Grand American–-1+----
1981Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series--2+----
1982Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series--70096527th
1983Late Model Stock Car--100--

Awards