Rick Hendrick took the time to talk with a group of reporters recently about the making of a movie chronicling Hendrick Motorsports' 25 years in NASCAR.

“

If we didn't tell it all like it happened, then we were phony. And I would be ashamed of it. And I feel like we just opened up our whole world.

”

-- RICK HENDRICK

The conversation took place shortly after Hendrick watched a premiere of the movie at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte, N.C. An edited-down version of the movie, entitled Together: The Hendrick Motorsports Story, will be shown Oct. 11 on ABC. Narrated by actor Tom Cruise, a Hendrick family friend, the full version will be available for purchase on DVD and Blu-Ray disc beginning Oct. 31, with a portion of proceeds from the sales benefitting the Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte.

The film not only celebrates the many successes of Hendrick's operation, but also examines how it survived such tragedies as the plane crash in October 2004 that claimed the lives of Hendrick's son, Ricky; his brother and team executive John Hendrick; John Hendrick's twin daughters; original Hendrick employee and chief engine builder Randy Dorton; general manager Jeff Turner and others.

Question: How hard was it for you to watch this movie from the standpoint that it tells the Hendrick Motorsports story so openly, including the difficult times?

Hendrick: It's a hard movie for me to watch, but at the same time it's a story. To pay tribute to those who aren't there anymore, it's just part of it. I asked them why [NASCAR Media Group] used the word Together for the title and then after I saw clips of it, I could see why they came up with the title. (Continued)