In the gritty Late Model Sportsman scene at Charlotte Motor Speedway during the late 1970s, an ambitious young Rick Hendrick chased speed and success. Long before Hendrick became the billionaire patriarch of NASCAR’s most successful team, he was just a racer and owner operating in a landscape governed by unwritten rules and heavy-handed intimidation by none other than the “Intimidator.”

In a recent conversation, Mr. Hendrick revealed how he found himself facing a choice between getting a significant cash bonus or saving his car from the wrath of Dale Sr.

For Hendrick, safety from The Intimidator more important than $1000

“So they used to give you a thousand dollars for the fastest time in Charlotte. So, I went over there in your granddad’s car, and I won top time. I was fastest,” Hendrick shared, while talking to Dale Junior on the Dale Jr. Download.

While chatting, Rick Hendrick looked back on a moment that perfectly captured the sheer, unsettling presence of “The Intimidator.”

Charlotte Motor Speedway promoters in that era offered $1,000 to the driver with the fastest qualifying time, turning practice laps into must-win battles. Rick Hendrick, building his racing resume after boat racing wins, seized the chance by slipping into Ralph Earnhardt’s familiar Grand National machine.

Ralph, a three-time Sportsman champion and patriarch of the Earnhardt dynasty, had entrusted his car to the event, tying Hendrick directly to NASCAR’s heartland grit. Hendrick nailed the top time, claiming the cash and a rush of adrenaline.

After a confidence boost from the victory, Hendrick rolled out for another run, charging into turn one. But after spotting Dale Earnhardt Sr. in his mirrors, he yanked the car over and pitted immediately.

“After that, he came in over to me. He said, ‘What happened?’ I said, ‘I’m not stupid.’ I was getting ready to get dumped good,” Rick Hendrick explained, a response that sent the junior Dale laughing.

He knew Earnhardt’s aggressive reputation meant a likely wreck if he kept pushing in the family car, walking away preserved his shot at future opportunities over chasing extra cash.

This split-second call showcased Hendrick’s track smarts. By 1983, he’d co-owned a Sportsman car with Robert Gee, hiring Dale Sr. to drive it to a 200-lap Charlotte win, Hendrick’s first NASCAR triumph. That paved the way for Hendrick Motorsports, now boasting 300 Cup wins and 28 titles through 2025.

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When Tom Cruise drove for Rick Hendrick

Tom Cruise’s passion for speed bridged Hollywood and NASCAR long before “Days of Thunder” hit the screens in 1990. In 1987, at Daytona International Speedway, Cruise piloted a Hendrick Motorsports Busch Series Chevrolet, clocking an impressive 178 mph before engine trouble sidelined him.

Accompanied by Paul Newman, who topped 190 mph, Cruise proved his wheelman crews extended beyond movie sets. That real-racing foundation fueled Cruise’s Days of Thunder role as Cole Trickle, drawing from NASCAR icons like Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Tim Richmond.

The film grossed $157.9 million on a $60 million budget despite mixed reviews. Cruise’s stunt commitment shone through, mirroring his real-life risks. In 1989, pre-release hype peaked when Cruise, with Nicole Kidman aboard, raced Truck Series vet Jack Sprague in a Hendrick Late Model.

Sprague, called in by Jimmy Johnson, watched stunned as Cruise lapped just three-tenths slower solo. “He goes out there with her, and he’s Tom Cruise, only three-tenths slower. And he’s running by himself. I’m like, ‘Oh no.’ Yeah, that’s crazy. If he hit something, there’s going to be parts everywhere,”

Sprague recalled on Dale Jr. Download. Sprague praised Cruise’s talent: he drove seriously, not just for show. Newman’s mentorship post-The Color of Money led Cruise to 16 SCCA races in a Nissan 300ZX, netting wins that honed skills for Hendrick’s cars.

These encounters highlight Hendrick’s draw for speed seekers, from Earnhardt to A-listers.