Functionally ReTodded

I’ll tell you how I feel about the whole Hendrick Motorsports Tragedy.

I feel absolutely terrible. I am sad and I feel six. I feel terrible for Rick Hendrick, for his wife and daughter and entire family. I feel terrible for all of the victims and their families.

I feel bad for everyone that works at Hendrick Motorsports.

I feel bad for the company that is Hendrick Motorsports. 80% of the people in charge at HMS died in the same accident, and that’s more than most any company can endure.

I feel terrible for Brian Vickers. Sunday was his birthday and his car owner, Ricky Hendrick, was flying up to surprise him on his birthday.

I feel bad for Tony Stewart, who lost his friend and pilot.

I actually cried a little for Ken Schrader last night while watching him talk on Inside Nextel Cup Racing. Kenny drove for Rick for nine years and watched Ricky and his two cousins grow up, and he is obviously still very close with the Hendrick family and organization. I remember seeing him interviewed after Dale died, and he was able to keep his emotions in check. He was not able to do the same this time.

I feel terrible for Ricky Hendrick’s fiancee. I can’t imagine how alone she feels right now.

I feel bad for Felix Sabates who is now NASCAR’s Waylon Jennings. He not only was saved by Chip Ganassi (who advised him not to get on the flight) but he was also the person asked to notify Rick Hendrick of the accident and later of the deaths. I’m sure Rick already knew in his heart, but Felix still had to tell him officially. How terrible for both men.

I have never been a fan of Rick Hendrick. Ever. But I feel for him.

I feel bad for Rick because he just lost his father this summer, and now, in the same accident, has lost:

- the younger brother that ran his business while Rick was sick

- his only son who was by all acounts the man being groomed for the future so he could be handed the keys to the Hendrick Motorsports empire

- his two nieces

- his business partner Randy Dorton, who has been with Rick since 1984 and helped biuld HMS into what it is today

- two pilots who’d worked for him for some time

- a man from DuPont who was obviously a close friend and associate

- the VP and GM of HMS whom he obviously trusted and liked very much

- a man who was leaving his family to fly choppers in Iraq who was on his way to say goodbye to his dear friend and employer, Tony Stewart.

That is literally more burden than one man or family can quite possibly endure.

The sport and the city will rally around the surviving members of the Hendrick family and the Hendrick Motorsports family as well. How long it takes the family and the business to recover remains to be seen. I only hope that Rick, his wife, John’s widow and surviving daughter and the families and friends of the victims can somehow find some peace.