Story By: KYLE SOUZA / SADLER-STANLEY RACING – EMPORIA, VA – Sadler-Stanley Racing, co-owned by Virginia attorney and State Senator Bill Stanley, and former NASCAR driver Hermie Sadler, will honor Roy Hendrick and the entire Hendrick family at the next SMART Modified Tour race this weekend.
The team will honor Hendrick by carrying the “Flying 11” number on the entry driven by Jonathan Cash. The Pace-O-Matic machine will compete at South Boston Speedway on Saturday, October 12.
Hendrick, a former South Boston Speedway track champion, passed away on August 3. He won titles at South Boston, Southside Speedway and Orange County Speedway all in the same season in 1983. Hendrick finished second in the NASCAR Winston Racing Series in 1990 and 1991, driving for car owner Jim Irby, among many other accolades.
“When I first started racing Late Model Stock Cars in 1990, Roy Hendrick was one of the few veterans that was always helpful and supportive to a rookie like I was at that time,” Hermie Sadler said. “He was also a great race car driver – fair and fun to compete against on the track. My father also used to sponsor his father, Ray Hendrick, the Hall of Famer, when he drove the Flying 11 for Jack Tant and Clayton Mitchell. We wanted to continue to honor his family from Virginia at one of Virginia’s most famous race tracks, South Boston Speedway.”
Cash, who has a best finish of second on the SMART Modified Tour so far this season, is excited to wheel the special scheme.
“I’m very honored to have the Hendrick throwback scheme on our Pace-O-Matic ride,” Cash said. “I grew up watching Roy Hendrick drive at South Boston. To run such a legendary scheme and honor him… it’s truly special.”
Team co-owner Bill Stanley is also intrigued to get to the track on October 12.
“When Hermie and I started this race team, one of our highest priorities was to honor and preserve both the history and future of short track racing in the south,” Bill Stanley said. “To have the Flying 11 on one of our cars for this race is just the highest honor for this team to honor the memory of one of the greatest modified drivers of all time, Ray Hendrick.”
The Sadler-Stanley Racing team will return to the track at South Boston Speedway for the SMART Modified Tour event on October 12, followed by the final SMART event of the year at North Wilkesboro on October 19.