13 years ago today on October 24, 2004, 8 members of Hendrick Motorsports and 2 crew members were killed after their Beechcraft Super King Air 200 crashed in Stuart, Virginia. Among those were Hendrick Motorsports President John Hendrick and twin daughters, Kimberly and Jennifer; Ricky Hendrick, son of Rick Hendrick and Busch Series driver; General Manager Jeff Turner, and engine builder Randy Dorton.
Others included DuPont Executive Joe Jackson, Scott Lathram, a pilot for Tony Stewart, and pilots Richard Tracy and Elizabeth Morrison.
Wow. The date kind of sneaked up on me this year, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Randy Dorton was a guy I always admired, and I met John Hendrick in a concession stand line in the infield at Indianapolis Raceway Park, probably 1997 or 98. A very quiet unassuming guy. What ever you think of Rick Hendrick, just imagine losing that many people close to you in one afternoon. Looking at the pictures above , I had completely forgotten that the 0 car carried the hood decal too.