From SpeedNet: Nice news for Rick Hendrick, “Winston Cup team owner Rick Hendrick is the first-quarter nominee for the National Motorsports Press Association Spirit Award. The award, handed out at the end of the season, recognizes sportsmanship, determination, extraordinary performance in the face of adversity, consideration for others and the promotion of motorsports. Hendrick, whose team has won the last two Winston Cup championships and runs cars for Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon and Ricky Craven, is being treated for leukemia. Besides his contributions to the sport, Hendrick was honored for using his personal battle with the disease to increase awareness on how to become a bone marrow donor. The National Marrow Donor Program says the publicity has generated thousands of phone calls since the start of the 1997 season. Hendrick is also facing another battle. One of the biggest U.S. auto dealers, he is due in federal court later this year to face charges stemming from the Honda bribery scandal. Past winners of the Spirit Award include Davey Allison and the Allison family, Alan Kulwicki, Ernie Irvan and Dale Earnhardt(6-26-97)
