by Darrell Waltrip

Updated: December 17, 2004, 3:46 PM EST

add this RSS blog email Print

That's the way it was when I went to drive for Rick Hendrick. I became part of the Hendrick family.

Papa Joe was the patriarch and the inspiration for Hendrick Motorsports. He loved racing as a young man, and as Rick grew up, Papa Joe's son fell in love with the sport.

I got to know Rick, his wife Linda and the Hendrick family really well. Rick's son, Ricky, was just a little kid in 1986 when I started driving for Rick.

Rick loved his dad, and Ricky loved his dad, too. Rick's brother, Johnny, ran the dealerships, and Rick and Johnny had that brotherly love you get when you work together and are part of a strong family. When Rick got sick with leukemia, Johnny stepped in, ran the race team and led Jeff Gordon to a championship while Rick was recovering.

Ricky followed father into racing

Jeff Gordon looks under the hood with Randy Dorton, the head of Hendrick Motorsports' engine department, after Gordon blew an engine in June at Michigan (Bob Brodbeck / Associated Press)

Rick used to do some road racing at Road Atlanta, Riverside and a couple of other road courses. He liked to drive, and he wasn't a bad race car driver. If he had dedicated himself to driving, I think he probably could have been just as successful driving the cars as he was selling them.

Ricky grew up around that racing environment. He wanted to drive the cars, and he did. He won a Craftsman Truck race at Kansas City at the age of 21. Rick and Linda stood in the pits, and Linda was so nervous that she couldn't even watch the race. But Rick was so proud that Ricky had won a race. Then Ricky got hurt and decided driving wasn't for him. They put Brian Vickers in his Busch car, which went on to win the championship.

I'll always remember that Ricky never called me DW. He never called me Darrell. He always called me Mr. Waltrip.

Ordinal out of range

Randy: Heart and soul

Randy Dorton has been there from day one. I worked with Randy all through the period of time that I was at Hendrick Motorsports. Randy singlehandedly developed the engine program as they tried to get their own stuff going. They were using Kenny Bingham and Ronnie Reavis (B&R) Motors. The whole time, Randy was burning the midnight oil, trying to get engines that were good enough to go in Rick's cars. He accomplished that and a whole lot more, including nine championships in the Cup, Truck and Busch Series. Randy was the heart and soul of that engine program.

NASCAR gives back the love it gets from Hendrick

The point is this is a family that loves each other. They cared about each other and learned to have great respect for each other. They're just an awesome family to be involved with and be a part of. To see the love that this sweet group of people has for each other and to think that they could have a tragedy like this in the midst of all that they've got going on, it's just mind-boggling.

Ordinal out of range Rick hadn't gotten over his father's death back in July. Papa Joe was such a strong influence in Rick and Johnny's life. I don't think he had really gotten over his father passing away, and now, he loses a son and a brother.

My heart goes out to Rick, Linda, Randy's family and Johnny's family. Johnny had his two sweet daughters with him. It's a lot of devastation to hit one family all at once.

Like so many others, I want to do anything I can for Rick Hendrick. Of all the people I've driven for, when people ask who's my best friend, Rick Hendrick is right at the top of my list. Every time I've had a problem, a want or a need, Rick Hendrick was there for me in any situation whether it was helping me sell my race team or running my car dealerships. Whatever it's been, Rick Hendrick has been true blue. Papa Joe and Johnny were the same way.

Ask DW
AskDW Subject: Comment/Question: Name:  Email:  Hometown:

The men and women on that flight will never know how much they will be missed. The NASCAR community will pitch in and help Rick, Linda and the families get through this difficult time. It's going to be very difficult because so much has been taken away all at once.

Friend to friend

Rick, I know you're not going to sit around and look at stories on the Internet for a while, but when you read this one, buddy, I just want you to know that I love you, I care about you and I'm here for you. Whatever you need, if I can make it happen, I'll do everything in my power. If I can carry some of the pain and some of the grief, I'll be right there by your side. I love you. You're a great friend, and I'm sorry.