Larson wins on anniversary of Hendrick plane crash

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Kyle Larson has only heard stories about the late Ricky Hendrick, the son of his team owner who was killed 17 years ago in a plane crash on the way to a NASCAR race.

The anniversary is a difficult day for Rick and Linda Hendrick, neither of whom made the trip Sunday to the playoff race at Kansas Speedway. Rick Hendrick instead texted Larson before the race and told his driver what a win would mean to the Hendrick Motorsports organization.

Larson delivered with his ninth win of the season, but most meaningful victory to date in his new job with Hendrick Motorsports.

Larson crossed the finish line and as part of his celebration stood on the window ledge of the No. 5 Chevrolet and pointed to the sky for Ricky Hendrick and the nine others killed in the 2004 crash of a team plane en route to a race in Virginia.

“To lose your child and so many other people that day, I can’t imagine what the feeling may have been for everybody at that time,” Larson said. “So to come here 17 years to the day and win in this paint scheme, with this number, it’s just pretty surreal. I’ve heard lots of good stories about Ricky and I wish I could have met him.”

Ricky Hendrick used the No. 5 during his driving career and the 24-year-old was the heir apparent of NASCAR’s winningest team at the time of his death.

Larson’s car is stylized to resemble Ricky Hendrick’s scheme, and hours before Sunday’s race, team owner Hendrick texted Larson to stress what a win would mean to him on this date.

When Rick Hendrick texted Larson earlier Sunday, he told his new driver that all four of the Hendrick crews would turn their hats backwards on the fifth lap in honor of how Ricky Hendrick wore his caps.

He urged Larson to be the leader on the fifth lap and Larson was determined to deliver.