Hensley's NASCAR career began in 1972, driving for famous owner Junie Donlavey in the No.

Both of his starts that season came at Martinsville Speedway, the track being just ten miles from Hensley's hometown of Ridgeway, VA.

Hensley competed again for Donlavey in the 1973 and 1974 Virginia 500 events, coming home in seventh and sixth places, respectively.

63 Chevrolet for part-time owner Billy Moyer, competing in both Martinsville races each year until 1977 and registering a top ten each season.

In 1981, Hensley returned to the Winston Cup Series, driving in the fall Martinsville event for Cecil Gordon in the No.

Hensley spent the 1983 season out of Cup and in the Busch Series, where in 29 starts, he registered 16 top ten finishes.

For the next eight seasons, Hensley competed on-and-off in the Winston Cup Series and raced full-time in the Busch ranks.

In addition, he won his only career Winston Cup pole at Martinsville Speedway, filling in for Dale Earnhardt, who was unable to make it to the track at that time due to the effects of Hurricane Hugo.

[3] The pole gave Hensley a berth in the 1990 Busch Clash, in which he started on the front row but fell back with mechanical issues.

Hensley ran in 22 races with four top-ten finishes with the group, and won Rookie of the Year honors at the age of 47, due to the other competitors that season running part-time schedules.

After the team was bought by Geoff Bodine, he drove one race for Richard Petty before closing the season in the No.

Beginning in 1995, Hensley began to compete in the newly formed Craftsman Truck Series, driving in his first two seasons for owner Grier Lackey.

At age 52 in 1998, Hensley found victory lane at Nashville and finished sixth in the final points standings.