NASCAR OWNER ESCAPES TO DRAG RACING
Thu, 2009-08-27 15:28
Jack Roush was once a world championship Pro Stock team owner. Joe Gibbs won two world titles in the same class.
Richard Petty, David Pearson and Cotton Owens all drag raced in 1965 while protesting NASCAR rules banning the Chrysler Hemi and other limited edition engines.
Rick Hendrick just loved to watch fast cars cover the quarter-mile.
“I’ve loved doing this ever since I was a kid,” said Hendrick, as he relaxed after an eight second quarter-mile pass in a Pro Street-style Camaro. Granted this was not your average run-of-the-mill NASCAR team owner’s car. Hendrick was making test laps in a friend’s car, with the assistance of veteran drag racing school instructor Roy Hill. Hendrick was in a big block muscle car capable of boiling the slicks and pulling a wheelie off the starting line.
Richard Petty, David Pearson and Cotton Owens all drag raced in 1965 while protesting NASCAR rules banning the Chrysler Hemi and other limited edition engines.
Rick Hendrick just loved to watch fast cars cover the quarter-mile.
“I’ve loved doing this ever since I was a kid,” said Hendrick, as he relaxed after an eight second quarter-mile pass in a Pro Street-style Camaro. Granted this was not your average run-of-the-mill NASCAR team owner’s car. Hendrick was making test laps in a friend’s car, with the assistance of veteran drag racing school instructor Roy Hill. Hendrick was in a big block muscle car capable of boiling the slicks and pulling a wheelie off the starting line.
“I get to break someone else’s stuff this time,” said a smiling Hendrick, referring to the car owned by fellow NASCAR team owner, James Finch.
Hendrick was at zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C., taking part in the track’s NASCAR Night, an evening reserved for the gathering of stock car racing’s dignitaries and their crews. This is one evening where they can race against their “type” of drag racers, the kind who spend more times than not going in circles or wrenching for those who do.
Hendrick's introduction to drag racing came when he was a young lad accompanying his father, “Papa Joe” Hendrick, “I was 14-and-a-half years old when I used to go with my dad.
“I love drag racing,” he added with a grin. “I got into Cup but I still like to watch and drive the drag cars.”
Hendrick also made test laps in a 1964 Chevy II that once belonged to Papa Joe and had been handed down to the next generation.
“He built this car in 1980 and I put it away after he passed in 2004,” Hendrick said. “It’s something, bringing this car out, that we love to do.”
Hendrick was in good hands all night. His instructor, Hill, the former Pro Stock legend who won drive a car sponsored by Petty Enterprises, provided Hendrick with a good grip on the intricacies of driving.
“He’s been a big help,” Hendrick said. “And, he’s quite a guy.”
Hendrick is now knee deep into NASCAR team ownership but there was a time when he tried his hand at boat drag racing and even fielded a Funny Car. Now, he looks forward to the annual zMax Dragway NASCAR night, an event open to the public, and has attended both since the strip opened in 2008.
“We even bring our families and employees out for some good clean drag racing,” Hendrick added.
Hendrick regularly rents out the track so his teams and employees can get in some drag strip laps in their spare time from the NASCAR tour.
“We let them bring their cars and we all have a lot of fun.”
Hendrick had a lot of fun on Tuesday night, posting a best 8.70 second pass at 163 miles per hour.
And for Hendrick, that’s a different kind of fun, the kind he fell in love with at 14-and-a-half.
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Richard Petty, David Pearson and Cotton Owens all drag raced in 1965 while protesting NASCAR rules banning the Chrysler Hemi and other limited edition engines.
Rick Hendrick just loved to watch fast cars cover the quarter-mile.
“I’ve loved doing this ever since I was a kid,” said Hendrick, as he relaxed after an eight second quarter-mile pass in a Pro Street-style Camaro. Granted this was not your average run-of-the-mill NASCAR team owner’s car. Hendrick was making test laps in a friend’s car, with the assistance of veteran drag racing school instructor Roy Hill. Hendrick was in a big block muscle car capable of boiling the slicks and pulling a wheelie off the starting line.
Rick Hendrick Loves Racing the Quarter-Mile in a Straight Line …
Jack Roush was once a world championship Pro Stock team owner. Joe Gibbs won two world titles in the same class.
Rick Hendrick had a blast on Tuesday evening while drag racing. He admits to loving the sport since a teenager. (Below) Pro Stock legend Roy Hill instructs Hendrick on drag racing.
Richard Petty, David Pearson and Cotton Owens all drag raced in 1965 while protesting NASCAR rules banning the Chrysler Hemi and other limited edition engines.
Rick Hendrick just loved to watch fast cars cover the quarter-mile.
“I’ve loved doing this ever since I was a kid,” said Hendrick, as he relaxed after an eight second quarter-mile pass in a Pro Street-style Camaro. Granted this was not your average run-of-the-mill NASCAR team owner’s car. Hendrick was making test laps in a friend’s car, with the assistance of veteran drag racing school instructor Roy Hill. Hendrick was in a big block muscle car capable of boiling the slicks and pulling a wheelie off the starting line.
“I get to break someone else’s stuff this time,” said a smiling Hendrick, referring to the car owned by fellow NASCAR team owner, James Finch.
Hendrick was at zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C., taking part in the track’s NASCAR Night, an evening reserved for the gathering of stock car racing’s dignitaries and their crews. This is one evening where they can race against their “type” of drag racers, the kind who spend more times than not going in circles or wrenching for those who do.
Hendrick's introduction to drag racing came when he was a young lad accompanying his father, “Papa Joe” Hendrick, “I was 14-and-a-half years old when I used to go with my dad.
“I love drag racing,” he added with a grin. “I got into Cup but I still like to watch and drive the drag cars.”
Hendrick also made test laps in a 1964 Chevy II that once belonged to Papa Joe and had been handed down to the next generation.
“He built this car in 1980 and I put it away after he passed in 2004,” Hendrick said. “It’s something, bringing this car out, that we love to do.”
Hendrick was in good hands all night. His instructor, Hill, the former Pro Stock legend who won drive a car sponsored by Petty Enterprises, provided Hendrick with a good grip on the intricacies of driving.
“He’s been a big help,” Hendrick said. “And, he’s quite a guy.”
Hendrick is now knee deep into NASCAR team ownership but there was a time when he tried his hand at boat drag racing and even fielded a Funny Car. Now, he looks forward to the annual zMax Dragway NASCAR night, an event open to the public, and has attended both since the strip opened in 2008.
“We even bring our families and employees out for some good clean drag racing,” Hendrick added.
Hendrick regularly rents out the track so his teams and employees can get in some drag strip laps in their spare time from the NASCAR tour.
“We let them bring their cars and we all have a lot of fun.”
Hendrick had a lot of fun on Tuesday night, posting a best 8.70 second pass at 163 miles per hour.
And for Hendrick, that’s a different kind of fun, the kind he fell in love with at 14-and-a-half.
ZMAX DRAGWAY'S NASCAR NIGHT EXPERIENCE by Roger Richards
At zMax Dragway's NASCAR night, you're liable to see anything running down the quarter-mile. Check out the diesel truck leaving on the sports car. (Below) This asphalt oval car belongs to the Evernham group.
Marcus Smith is as much a gearhead as he is the president of zMax Dragway. The son of Bruton Smith had his manually-shifted Ford GT running up and down the drag strip all evening. He ran consistently in the 11-second range but his reaction times were the most impressive feat with a .008 reaction best while footbraking from the starting line.
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