In loving memory of those lives lost on the King Air 200
October Twenty-fourth, Two thousand and four  Victims all had ties to Hendrick
Those who died Sunday were linked to each other by blood, by
business and most of all by racing. All but four were employed
by Hendrick Motorsports, the Charlotte-based company that is
among the most successful in stock-car racing.
The others were closely tied to the company or its people.
The company's founder and CEO, Rick Hendrick, was not ready
to speak with the public about the deaths by Sunday night,
but Hendrick once told an Observer reporter that he kept
most hard times in perspective by telling workers, "It's not
life threatening."
This time it was, and the surviving employees of Hendrick
Motorsports gathered at its headquarters complex Sunday
evening to mourn the deaths of their coworkers and friends. John Lewis Hendricks Born January 15, 1951 in Richmond, Va.
Passed away on Sunday, October 24, 2004
in a private airplane crash headed to the race
at Martinsville Speedway. At the age of 63.
He lived his childhood near South Hill, Va, where he was active in sports, participating in baseball, basketball and track in high school. He also shared an interest for racing with his father and older brother, Rick.
Mr. Hendrick graduated from University of Cincinnati, with a Bachelor of Science degree before moving to North Carolina. John began working in the automotive industry in 1978 at City Chevrolet in Charlotte, NC, before moving to Rick Hendrick Honda in West Columbia, SC, where he was named general sales manager. He later founded and operated JL Hendrick Management Corp. which operates six car dealerships throughout the Carolinas and Florida.
In 1998, John Hendrick became president of Hendrick Motorsports while Rick battled leukemia. Under his leadership, HMS earned a fourth Nascar Nextel Cup Series championship, its third with driver Jeff Gordon. Mr. Hendrick regularly led weekly bible-study programs at Hendrick Motorsports with employees.
John Hendrick was well known for his passion and generosity in working with charities, especially those that support the disadvantaged youth. He served as chairman of the board for the Nazareth Children's Home in Rockwell, NC and served on the board of directors for Elon Homes for Children in Charlotte.
Snow skiing, playing golf and spending time with his family were some of the things he most enjoyed.
John is survived by his mother, Mary; wife and best friend, Cathy;
daughter, Alesha; brother, Rick; niece, Lynn; grandchildren,
Jocelyn and Joseph.  Joseph Riddick (Ricky) Hendrick IV Born April 2, 1980 in in Charlotte, NC Passed away on Sunday, October 24, 2004
in a private airplane crash headed to the race
at Martinsville Speedway. He was 24 years old. Ricky is the son of Hendrick Motorsports CEO Rick Hendrick,
and owner of a Busch Series NASCAR team and Performance Honda
of Pineville, NC. Ricky's strong smile and gentle spirit were his trademarks. In 1998,
he graduated from Charlotte Country Day School with his family's
affection for motor sports. Wins behind the wheel in Legends Cars
and Late Model Stock race cars prepared him for a 2001 victory in
the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. After moving to the NASCAR Busch
Series in 2002, a racing injury prompted him to search for a
replacement driver. With the driver he selected and in his initial
year as an owner, he won Hendrick Motorsports' first-ever championship
in the Busch Series. Ricky and his late grandfather co-owned two of
Hendrick Motorsports' pre-eminent race teams, while Ricky's father,
Rick, prepared him for increased leadership in the organization.
With his mother Linda's influence and his strong Christian faith,
Ricky believed deeply about helping those less fortunate. He never
passed up an opportunity to give of himself to someone who needed
help. Regardless of who was around him, each conversation with
family ended with 'I love you.' He was above all a dear son and
brother whose spirit lives on in all who knew him.
Any day spent with Ricky was an adventure. Time with him was like
living on a higher level. He enjoyed big game fishing, SCUBA diving,
hunting, water sports, motorcycles, and racing. At once the ultimate
kid, and at the same time wise beyond his years, Ricky proved to be
a successful businessman, orchestrating a complete turnaround of the
local Honda dealership he purchased in 2003. He will be remembered
for his abundant kindness and loyal friendship, but most of all his
love of family and girlfriend, Emily Maynard.
Ricky is survived by his parents,
Rick and Linda Hendrick of Charlotte;
sister, Lynn and brother-in-law, Marshall Carlson;
grandparents, Mary Hendrick and Helen Myrick;
niece, Madeline Kate; cousin, Alesha.  Jennifer Marie Hendrick Kimberly Paige Hendrick Born November 23, 1981 in Charlotte, NC Kimberly was 33 minutes older than Jennifer Both passed away on Sunday, October 24, 2004
in a private airplane crash headed to the race
at Martinsville Speedway. Jennifer attended Charlotte Christian School before starting her
college career in the fall of 2000. A student at the University
of North Carolina at Charlotte, she earned a bachelor of
management degree with a concentration in managerial leadership.
Jennifer put her education to use at Hendrick Motorsports, where
she started in August as an account executive in the marketing
department. With her contagious enthusiasm and strong work ethic,
she made an immediate impact and will be truly missed by her
friends and colleagues.
NASCAR was, (and is) one of her favorite pastimes and taking in
a race with her father, John, and twin sister was always special.
She enjoyed shopping and traveling, but especially cherished time
at home with family, and loved being a new aunt to niece, Jocelyn
and nephew, Joseph.
Jennifer is survived by her mother, Cathy Hayes Hendrick;
sister, Alesha Hendrick Gainey and brother-in-law,
Joseph Michael Gainey. Kimberly Paige Hendrick Kimberly excelled at Charlotte Christian School before attending
the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where she graduated
with a degree in business administration.
Kimberly recently embarked on a career in the automotive industry,
working in the accounting office of Hendrick Honda to learn the
dealership from the ground up. Her loving nature and mild-mannered
personality instantly made her a favorite with co-workers.
Outside of the office, Kimberly cherished family time, 'sister trips'
and playtime with her niece, Jocelyn, and nephew, Joseph. Going to a
NASCAR race with her father, John, and twin sister, Jennifer, was
always one of her favorite times.
Kimberly is survived by her
Mother: Cathy Hayes Hendrick;
Sister: Alesha Hendrick Gainey and
brother-in-law, Joseph Michael Gainey.
Niece:Jocelyn
Nephew:Joseph 
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