Ten members of top NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports, including the son, twin nieces and brother of team owner Rick Hendric👍k, were killed in a plane crash en route to the race at Martinsville on Sunday. Hendrick driver Jimmie Johnson won the race before learning of the tragedy.

The plane, a Beech 200, took off 🌱from ⛎the team base at Concord, North Carolina, but at around 12.30pm crashed in mountains at Bull Ridge, seven miles from its destination at Martinsville.

The Federal Aviation Authority later confirmed all 10 people on the plane had been killed. They included team owner Rick Hendrick's son Ricky, his twin nieces Kimberley and𓆏 Jennifer, and his brother John, President of the Hendrick organisation. Vice President and General Manager of Hendrick Motorsport Jeff Turner was also among the victims, as was Randy Dorton, the team's chief engine builder.

Rick Hendrick had begun groomin🎐g son Ricky for a larger role with the company. Ricky had raced a Busch series car for his father, but was forced to retire in 2002🎃 following a shoulder injury suffered in a racing accident.

Ricky then became the owner of the Busch car that Brian Vickers drove to the series championship last season, and which Kyle Busch currently drives.

Before the deaths were confirmed NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said that team owner Rick Hendrick ಞhad been spoken to at Martinsville. "We're working very closely with members of the Hཧendrick organization," Hunter said. "We're just saying extra prayers right now."

NASCAR learned of the plane's disappearance during the Martinsville race but withheld the information from Hendrick Motorsport's four drivers Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Terry Labonte and Brian Vickers until the end of the event. All the Hendrick drivers were summoned to the NASCAR hauler immediately after the race and winner Johnson was excused from the usual Victory Lane celebra🌱tions.

Hendrick Motorsport was celebrating its 20th anniversary in NASCAR this year, during which it has won five titl🅰es at the top level and become only the second team to ꦫachieve more than 100 race wins.