“I never dreamed we’d make it” - Billionaire Rick Hendrick making his feelings known about his team’s reality resurfaces in a recent HMS update

Rick Hendrick once expressed his feelings about his team's success, in the year Hendrick Motorsports celebrated its 25th anniversary. This week, amid NASCAR's offseason, Hendrick Motorsports has shone a light on that moment again. That year, Hendrick also said the team would've never been a reality if Geoff Bodine hadn't crossed the checkered flag first at the 1984 Martinsville race.

Hendrick entered NASCAR in 1984 with his outfit, All-Star Racing, with a handful of employees. Though he dreamed big, he was soon struck with disappointment, his team on the verge of closure after a few races.

However, the distraught owner decided to give it one last shot. Convinced by crew chief Harry Hyde's suggestion, Hendrick brought late model legend Geoff Bodine in the hopes he could change the team's fortunes. Bodine didn't disappoint. At the 1984 Martinsville race, he led the penultimate 49 laps, emerging victorious and sowing the seed of NASCAR's winningest organization.

25 years later, Rick Hendrick, during a preseason media event before the 2009 season at Daytona, said he'd never thought HMS would make it this far. He said (via HMS),

“I never dreamed we’d make it 25 years. I feel honored and blessed that I can do anything in life that I enjoy as much as racing and stay with it this long and be surrounded by a lot of great folks.”

At the Martinsville weekend that year, Hendrick told Gordon about Bodine's contribution. He said,

“I don’t know who you’d be driving for, but it probably wouldn’t be me if Geoff Bodine hadn’t won that race in Martinsville.”

Jimmie Johnson, the #48 driver for HMS, aced the 2009 Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 race at the Martinsville Speedway, where HMS' fortunes changed in 1984.

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How Jimmie Johnson braved the odds to register a once-in-a-lifetime moment for Rick Hendrick

Bringing home a victory on the silver jubilee, on the same track where HMS registered its first win, was a once-in-a-lifetime tribute Johnson could've offered. However, winning didn't seem to be on the cards considering his unlucky start and race troubles.

After rain hampered the qualifying session, drivers were lined up according to their Cup Series standings. Thus Jeff Gordon was the polesitter while his teammate Johnson started in ninth. Nonetheless, the #48 driver surged to third in the first 18 laps.

However, handling issues plagued his race and he fell outside the top-20s. After making several tweaks, the then-three-time Cup Series champion got his mojo back and contended again for the win.

But another challenge ensued as Denny Hamlin, who led a race-high 296 laps, took charge with 45 laps remaining. But Johnson was relentless in his pursuit and took the lead with 16 to go after both overdrove the corner.

Johnson led 42 laps that day on the 0.526-mile for Rick Hendrick's 176th win.