The crowd favorite at Virginia tracks and a popular Richmond-area racing star, Roy Hendrick, has passed away at the age of 70. Son of the legendary “Mr. Modified ”Ray Hendrick, Roy was often seen behind the wheel of his father’s Flying 11, which had been raced in the 1960s on the dirt track at Richmond Raceway.
Despite being the son of a NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee, Roy Hendrick was a consistent winner in his own right, having made a name for himself with several achievements throughout his career. His passing signals the end of his life, but Roy Hendrick’s legacy lives on, especially for those who grew up watching short-track racing.
A reflection of Roy Hendrick’s illustrious career
Roy Hendrick won his first track championship in 1972 in the Limited Sportsman Division at Southside Speedway, a venue that was considered his local track, as it is located in Chesterfield County. He won on the same track in 1990 as well, only this time it was during its annual 300-lap race. Hendrick had also competed in the Late Model Stock Car track championships in 1983 and went on to win three races at South Boston Speedway, Orange County Speedway, and Southside Speedway.
Having raced at Martinsville Speedway and Richmond Raceway in the lower divisions, Hendrick then went on to make his only Cup Series start in 1986. However, his car suffered a mechanical failure at Dover Motor Speedway, bringing a premature end to his only appearance in the series. His father, Ray Hendrick, had won over 700 Modified and Late Model Sportsman races throughout his 35-year-long career. Such was his legacy that he was nominated for the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025.
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