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Two-time NTT IndyCar Series champion and Indy 500 winner Will Power bestowed a meaningful gift upon the esteemed NASCAR Cup Series team owner Rick Hendrick.
At the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday, Power presented Hendrick with the very helmet he wore during the intense 2023 Indianapolis 500. It was adorned with his distinctive signature.
The emotional exchange unfolded on the pit lane, where Will Power expressed his profound gratitude to the Hendrick Motorsports team owner for the pivotal role he played in a critical family matter. Power revealed to NBC:
"He put me in touch with the best doctors and the best people to take care of her. She was very close to dying. It was a very tough situation."
He went on to highlight how Hendrick's support and continuous communication throughout the ordeal left an indelible mark on both him and his wife.
“He never stopped calling through the whole process. My wife and I will never forget. I couldn’t think of what to get him, to give to Mr. Hendrick. It’s all I could think of that was close to what I should get him.”
Reacting to the emotional gift he was presented to, Hendrick told Power:
“I don’t need anything, but man, this is something I’ll treasure. I’m a big fan, anyway. But boy, I’m honored to have it. Thank you so much.”
Rick Hendrick reacts on receiving an emotional gift from Will Power
Rick Hendrick was on site at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to witness 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson take part in the Indianapolis 500 Rookie Orientation Program.
In an emotional moment preceding Larson's inaugural lap in the Arrow McLaren Dallara-Chevrolet, Power sought out Hendrick to present him with the gift.
Reflecting on this remarkable gesture, Hendrick conveyed to NBC the profound sentiment attached to the helmet:
"That helmet is very special to me because when I look at that helmet, I think about life. I don’t just think about the helmet, I’ll think about life."
Revealing the text inscribed on the helmet, Rick Hendrick said:
“I don’t remember exactly what Will Power wrote on the shield, but it was something to the effect of, ‘Nothing could say thank you enough for what you did'. Will was almost emotional, and I got that way.”
He continued:
“He almost lost his wife. It was touch and go. I called to check on her, but when he walked up with that helmet, I had no idea he had something like that for me.”
Referencing to his collection of iconic helmets, the legendary racing figure has received over the years, Hendrick stated:
“I’ve got a lot of helmets, but this one is quite special," Hendrick reflected.
