“I couldn’t have been more wrong”: NASCAR champion Jack Sprague comes clean on his ‘bad’ misjudgment of Ricky Hendrick as a teammate

Former NASCAR driver Jack Sprague recalled being teammates with Ricky Hendrick, the late son of Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick. He made the comments during the latest episode of the Dale Jr. Download.

Ahead of the inaugural Truck Series event of 2001 at Kansas Speedway, Mr. H told Sprague that Ricky Hendrick would be his teammate. Just 21 at the time, Ricky was tabbed to pilot the No. 17 GMAC/Quaker State Chevrolet Silverado. But Sprague wasn’t too sure about him. He thought that Ricky was just another “rich kid” and a product of blatant nepotism.

“You know, the boss comes up and says, 'Hey, my son's gonna be your teammate.' This could be bad,” Jack Sprague told Dale Earnhardt Jr. “Rich kid, you're thinking, I really don't know him at this point that well and I thought, 'Man, this is gonna hold us back, it's gonna drag us down.'”

However, by winning his debut Truck Series attempt at Kansas, Ricky became the youngest driver to win a race in the history of the series at the time. He also gained the respect of Sprague, who realized that Ricky was not just the heir to Rick Hendrick’s legacy but possessed an innate zeal for race.

“I couldn't have been more wrong,” Sprague continued. “We won the championship with their help. Regardless of the great driver part, he was a great kid. He was kind, considerate. He would sit there in the bus lot at night and color with my daughter, she was like four.”

Ricky Hendrick was gone too soon. On October 24, 2004, he, along with nine others, succumbed to a plane crash in Martinsville, Virginia. As reported by ESPN, Rick Hendrick still keeps the black Chevrolet Tahoe ZL1 that his son had driven to the airport that day.

Jack Sprague reflects on finding out about his nomination for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2025

In April 2024, the NASCAR Hall of Fame revealed its 2025 nominees, including five pioneers and 10 modern-day nominees. For the first time, Jack Sprague was named one of the modern-day nominees for the prestigious title. Throughout his career in the Truck Series, Sprague amassed 28 wins, 32 poles, and three championships in 1997, 1999, and 2001.

Sprague recalled the moment when he heard the big news for the first time. Doing so, he told Dale Earnhardt Jr.:

“My phone rings and I look, it’s Wayne, Wayne Auton (Ex-managing director, NASCAR Xfinity Series) I answer it and he says ‘Hey! I just wanted to let you know, you’re nominated for the Hall of Fame.’ I’m like, ‘Really?.’ He said, ‘Yep! You’re next, buddy! See you later.'”

In addition to Sprague, 2000 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series champion Greg Biffle and veteran engine builder Randy Dorton were also named as possible inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame class of 2025.

Unfortunately, only three candidates can receive the title each year. This year’s inductees were Ricky Rudd, Carl Edwards, and Pioneer ballot recipient, Ralph Moody.