Rick Hendrick was supposed to lead the race as the honorary pace car driver on Sunday. It was a special day because it marked 40 years since Geoffrey Bodine won Hendrick Motorsports’ first Cup race.
However, Hendrick couldn’t make it to the race because he recently had surgery to replace his knee.
After William Byron won the race in overtime, beating his teammates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, Hendrick spoke on Fox Sports 1 about the win and the team’s 1-2-3 finish.
“It was a special day and I never thought that we’d end up running one through three and when that caution came out, I thought, ‘Man, we’re in trouble.’ I’ve been there before when we were one, two and then there was a caution and we end up running, I don’t know fourth or fifth,” he said.
Hendrick missed being there but was happy for his team’s success. He said, “So, it’s just a great day for all of our people to celebrate 40 years and come back to that at Martinsville and run one, two, three. And all the people that are going to stay and go down and celebrate with the drivers, so wish I was there. But I’m getting my leg fixed.”
There were over 1,500 Hendrick Motorsports employees, along with their friends and families, watching the race from a special area at the track. They were all wearing red shorts. After the race, they went to the grandstands to take victory photos with Byron and his team.
Hendrick reflected on the significance of the win, especially on the 40th anniversary of the team. “I think when I look at the fact we are celebrating 40 years and we have been planning this for so long and then I had to have this operation couldn’t be there,” Hendrick said. “If we hadn’t won that race, we wouldn’t – I wouldn’t – be talking to you guys today.”
He added, “I don’t know what we’d be doing. Such a momentous occasion, I guess. I’m uh, I don’t think I’ve ever had one that means any more than this one. Maybe that first one that kept us going but this is a special day.”
