I HAD GOOD EXPERIENCES with Hendrick Motorsports drivers like Jeff Gordon, Terry Labonte and Ken Schrader, but I can't say that with car owner Rick Hendrick.
I once had a 10 a.m. appointment to call Hendrick, and I was taking a vacation day to work on this magazine story. I called at 10; they said he wasn't there and told me to call back at 2.
I
I called back at 2, and they said he hadn't come in; call back later. I did, and he wasn't in then, either. I don't know if that story ever got written; it sure didn't get written that day.
Some time later, I caught up with Hendrick at a racetrack and said, "I'm Tom Gillispie." He immediately realized I was the guy he'd blown off, and he apologized and gave me his direct number. He said to come back at 9 a.m. the next day and we'd talk. He wasn't there, and I never got an answer at his direct number.
I interviewed Rick Hendrick's brother John, but I never talked to Rick.
So I don't have good memories of Hendrick. I don't hold it against him; other people have blown me off. But, for some reason, I remember this one.
More entries from TARJ
(a book of great stories about the Intimidator)
(the book of great NASCAR stories)
EDITOR@WORK blog entries
Entries from The Dog Blog
More blog entries by Tom Gillispie
Anecdotes by Tom Gillispie
