Larry Hedrick is a
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
-born businessman and former
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
team owner.
In 1976, he formed Statesville Auto Auction, which became one of the largest and most profitable auto sales businesses until it was sold to
Manheim AuctionsManheim, Inc. is an automobile auction company. It is the largest one in the world by volume of trade. As a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Inc., Manheim provides services including financing, title work, transportation, recovery, auto body repair, dealership management systems, dent repair and...
in 1993. Hedrick also owned and operated
Larry Hedrick MotorsportsLarry Hedrick Motorsports is a former NASCAR team. It was owned by businessman Larry Hedrick and always fielded the #41 Chevrolet in both the Winston Cup and the Busch Series. The team ran from 1990 until its closure in 2001.- Beginnings :...
, a NASCAR team that debuted in 1990 with driver
Larry PearsonLarry Pearson is a former NASCAR driver and the son of three-time Winston Cup champion David Pearson. He won the Busch Series championship in 1986 and 1987, but struggled during his brief tenure in Winston Cup...
. The following season, Hedrick signed Kellogg's Corn Flakes for a limited schedule. Pearson was released at the end of the year in favor of
Greg SacksGreg Sacks is a NASCAR driver. He is married to his wife Vicky and lives in Ormond Beach, Florida. Together they had three children: Paul, Brian, and Rachel. He and his sons are partners in Grand Touring Vodka.Sacks has spent most of his career as a Research & Development driver for many NASCAR...
.
Manheim Auctions joined the team as sponsor for 1993 with
Dick TrickleRichard "Dick" Trickle is a retired American race car driver. He raced for decades around the short tracks of Wisconsin, winning many championships along the way. Trickle has competed in the ASA, ARTGO, ARCA, All Pro, IMCA, NASCAR, and USAC.In more than an estimated 2,200 races, Trickle has logged...
and
Phil ParsonsPhil Parsons , is a former NASCAR driver and owner of MSRP Motorsports . He is also the younger brother of the late 1973 Winston Cup champion and former NBC/TNT commentator Benny Parsons. Years later, he returned to the Busch Series, where he enjoyed modest success...
sharing driving duties. The following year, Hedrick signed former ationwide Series|Nationwide] champion
Joe NemechekJoseph Frank Nemechek III is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and owner of NEMCO Motorsports. He won the 1992 Busch Series championship...
for a run at Rookie of the Year. Nemechek left at season's end to run his own team and was replaced by
Ricky CravenRichard Allen Craven is an ESPN broadcaster who works ESPN2's NASCAR Now and a race analyst for the network. Prior to his ESPN duties, he was a NASCAR driver who won in four different series—the K&N Pro Series, and the three national series. He occasionally served as a pit reporter when NASCAR...
. Craven would go on to win Rookie of the Year in 1995.
In 1996 Craven earned five top-10 finishes before accepting an offer from
Hendrick MotorsportsHendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
. Steve Grissom became the team's driver in 1997 and sat on the outside pole at the season opening Daytona 500, earning six top 10s through the season--the most for Hedrick. In 1999 sponsor
KodiakKodiak is a brand of dipping tobacco manufactured by American Snuff Company, a U.S. smokeless tobacco manufacturer that also produces the Grizzly tobacco and Levi Garrett brands...
moved to Melling Racing, leaving the team in search of sponsorship. In 2000 the team thought it had sponsorship from Big Daddy's Bar-B-Que Sauce, but the sponsor defaulted on the terms of its contract and the team shut its doors.