ESPN Sprint Cup

For those involved in NASCAR, racing is more than a sport. It is a way of life. It is a way of conducting one's self throughout life, and eventually getting through the toughest part of life: dealing with death.

One week ago, the Hendrick Motorsports organization suffered a tragic loss when a Hendrick plane carrying 10 people crashed on its way to last weekend's race at Martinsville Speedway. Everyone aboard died.

Team owner Rick Hendrick was not feeling well, so he did not make the trip. However, his brother and the team's president, John, did, along with his twin daughters. Also on board was Rick Hendrick's son, Ricky, whose role was growing in the company as he prepared one day to inherit it. Hendrick General Manager Jeff Turner and head engine builder Randy Dorton were also among those killed in the crash.

This weekend, the Hendrick boys showed up at Atlanta Motor Speedway ready to race. Rick Hendrick sent them off with words of encouragement to the drivers and crews, and words of thanks for everyone in the garage who showed so much support. The team arrived with heavy hearts and teary eyes. But they arrived, nonetheless, prepared to race.

"I think one of the things that we learned from Rick and Randy, John, and those guys is that we have got to keep going," said Chad Knaus, crew chief for Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Chevy. "Everybody realized that, I think, Monday night and they came in (to the shop) on Tuesday. Those guys put their heads down; they got to work; they were getting ready to go to Atlanta.

"I have to say thanks to everybody at Hendrick Motorsports because if you guys didn't put your heads down and get to work, I don't know if I could have made it through the week the way that I needed to be able to and come here."

The team did well in qualifying, placing three of its four drivers among the first seven rows for Sunday's race. Jimmie Johnson will start Sunday's race eighth; Jeff Gordon will start 10th; Brian Vickers will start 13th; and Terry Labonte will start 42nd.

Vickers, the rookie who lost both his spotter and close friend in Ricky Hendrick, hasn't said much since the tragedy. On Friday, he spoke of inspiration.

"It feels good to be back at the racetrack," he said. "Everybody here has been so amazing with the support they have given Hendrick Motorsports and all the families that were a part of this tragedy. It feels good to be focused at what I like to do and what I am most comfortable at.

"You know we are all inspired by different things. We all have different motivations. No matter how hard you work and how much you want it, sometimes circumstances force you to reach even deeper down inside yourself and pull out something. I think this is something that can do that for us.

"You don't always know where your motivation comes from. Sometimes it is obvious, sometimes it isn't always obvious. When I got in the race car, something magical happens and sometimes I just shake my head at it."

Vickers' sentiment echoed that of four-time champ Gordon, who sits second in the championship chase at 96 points behind Ford driver Kurt Busch. And though the championship was the furthest thing from his mind this week, he returns to the track focused on it.

"I have never been so inspired and driven in my life," he said. "This is an important weekend for us for so many different reasons, but I can't think of anything that could drive us harder and stronger than this loss. One, we want it bad no matter what. We work very hard for it.

"But I think there is something that's going to allow us to dig a little deeper to try to make a difference, whether it be for the families that are grieving, to try to ease their pain some, or for those that are looking down on us. I think that instead of this being something that's a negative, we're going to take something and make something positive out of it and try to do our jobs better than we ever have before.

"I think they would be proud of us to be able to come out here and just keep doing what we love to do, what they loved being a part of, and hope that we can just make them proud in some ways like that. And that there will be a time when we can all move on from this tragedy."

Part of moving on will include replacing some of the best in the business. Their livelihood and spirit can never be replicated, but almost as unique was many of these souls' gifts.

Dorton, for instance, was perhaps the most constant force through all of Hendrick's success. He provided the most powerful motors in the industry to championship teams and forced everyone in the sport to bear down harder and try to keep up.

"One of the things that has always been the strong point of Hendrick Motorsports was the engine program," driver Terry Labonte said. "Randy was the guy that led that and not only did he lead the engine program, he was a big part of our team and good friend, also. (It) didn't matter where you were, in the trailer or whatever, if you had a question about anything at Hendrick Motorsports, 'Let's call Randy.' He was definitely the guy."

On Friday, the Hendrick crew gathered to remember those lives lost last week. They spoke candidly about their pain from loss, their love for those departed, and their admiration for those enduring on. On Sunday, they too will continue. They will don their race uniforms and go to work.

Rupen Fofaria is a freelance writer living in Chicago and a regular contributor to ESPN.com. He can be reached at rfofaria@espnspecial.com.