Heading into the eighth race of its debut 1984 season at Martinsville Speedway, Rick Hendrick was ready to shut down his fledgling All Star Racing team the next Monday.
Plans changed following the race, however.
Geoffrey Bodine piloted Hendrick's No. 5 Chevrolet to victory lane, earning the organization sponsorship from Levi Garrett. The NASCAR juggernaut now known as Hendrick Motorsports was officially born.
Eleven premier series championships, 232 wins and 202 poles later, Hendrick Motorsports returns to Martinsville for Sunday's STP 500. In the near 31 years since its first victory, HMS has amassed 22 wins at Martinsville