Richard Petty Posts -- FanHouse

Latest Richard Petty Stories

Hall of Fame Got Inaugural Class Right

Posted: Oct 14th 2009 7:36PM by Holly Cain (author feed)
Filed under: NASCAR Awards

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NASCAR executives and racing royalty filled a ballroom at the Charlotte Convention Center Wednesday afternoon. David Pearson, Cotton Owens, Ned Jarrett, Bruton Smith, Glen and Eddie Wood and Ricky Rudd were among stock car's dignitaries on hand, eager to hear the inaugural five-person NASCAR Hall of Fame class.

The room went totally silent when NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter took the stage to introduce chairman Brian France. And in an eight-minute ceremony carried on live television, France opened sealed envelopes announcing one-by-one that his grandfather, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr.; the sport's all-time winningest driver, Richard Petty; Brian France's father, Bill France Jr.; the late seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt; and champion driver and owner Junior Johnson will go down as the first to be in enshrined when the Hall opens next May.

The inclusion of France Sr., Petty and Earnhardt was a given, it was the final two selections that created an air of suspense.

Continue Reading Hall of Fame Got Inaugural Class Right

The King Finally Back in Title Hunt

Posted: Sep 10th 2009 10:00PM by Holly Cain (author feed)
Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Chase for the Sprint Cup

1 COMMENT

RICHMOND, Va. -- Kasey Kahne was not even born the last time his team owner, Richard Petty, hoisted a NASCAR championship trophy. Kahne was 4 years old the afternoon Petty won his last race -- the Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 1984.

With Sunday's win at Atlanta, the 29-year-old Kahne has now hosted his Richard Petty Motorsports team namesake in victory circle twice this season. And for the first time in almost 25 years, "The King" at least has a shot to hold NASCAR's crown again.

Kahne will clinch a playoff berth Saturday night if drives the No. 9 Budweiser Dodge to a 21st place finish or better at Richmond International Raceway -- site of his first career Sprint Cup Series victory in 2005.

It's the first time in too long that Petty and championship have appeared in the same sentence without being a nostalgic reference to the good ol' days. Things are pretty good these days.

More: Petty, Yates Teams to Combine Forces

Continue Reading The King Finally Back in Title Hunt

Petty, Yates Teams to Combine Forces

Posted: Sep 10th 2009 3:04PM by Holly Cain (author feed)
Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Ford, Yates Racing

18 COMMENTS

RICHMOND, Va. -- Two of the biggest names in NASCAR -- Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing -- announced Thursday they have signed a letter-of-intent to merge for the 2010 season and will field a four-car Ford team under the Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) banner.

Current Yates driver Paul Menard and current RPM drivers Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler and A.J. Allmendinger will be the drivers.

"This is a pretty big deal for us," Richard Petty said. "We've talked with a lot of folks, but in the end it came down to the success the Gilletts (co-owner George Gillett and his sons) and and I think we can achieve with Ford Racing.

Continue Reading Petty, Yates Teams to Combine Forces

Hall Call Could Lead to Confusion

Posted: Jul 10th 2009 4:36PM by Adam Alexander (author feed)
Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series, SPEED TV

4 COMMENTS

We're still a few months away from learning who the first five inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame will be, giving us a little time to banter back and forth about who should be in that critical first class.

I'm curious to see how everything plays out with the criteria for induction. With three premier but separate series – the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – how do you arrive at the finalists given the dominant success several drivers have enjoyed across the three different divisions?

Continue Reading Hall Call Could Lead to Confusion

Daytona Trackside: Earnhardt and Petty

Posted: Jul 4th 2009 2:41PM by Holly Cain (author feed)
Filed under: Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona Int'l Speedway, Chase for the Sprint Cup

9 COMMENTS

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Catching up on the news and notes trackside at Daytona International Speedway.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. met with reporters briefly Friday and seemed pretty much resigned to the fact that he won't be making the 12-driver Chase for the Championship this season. He's currently ranked 19th, 285 points behind 12th place Juan Pablo Montoya with nine races remaining before the Chase field is set Sept. 12.

"It's going to be a real challenge for us to make the Chase,'' Earnhardt said. "We're still mathematically in it but we're not trying to catch just one guy. .. we're trying to catch four or five guys. And it's unrealistic to expect all them guys to have enough trouble.

Continue Reading Daytona Trackside: Earnhardt and Petty

After Crash, Andretti Looks to Make 500

Posted: May 13th 2009 10:14PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IRL

4 COMMENTS

The first foray for Richard Petty into the world of IndyCar racing came to a nasty, grinding and gut-wrenching halt in turn one of the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

That crash -- check the video later in the post -- kept Petty's No. 43 driven by John Andretti with assistance from longtime IndyCar player Dreyer and Reinbold Racing from qualifying for the 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500.

However, don't expect the hard incident to keep Petty or Andretti from making the 33-car field this weekend at the Brickyard.

Continue Reading After Crash, Andretti Looks to Make 500

Petty's 500 Entry No 'Publicity Stunt'

Posted: Apr 7th 2009 1:18AM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IRL

50 COMMENTS

FanHouse's Holly Cain first jumped on the news Friday from the IRL IndyCar Series season-opener in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Monday NASCAR's 'King' officially announced his entry to open-wheel's highest affair.

Latest IndyCar Photos

** AUTO RACING PACKAGE FOR APRIL 8 AND THEREAFTER ** In this Friday, April 3, 2009, photo, Sam Hornish Jr. helps push his car up pit road during qualifying for the NASCAR Samsung 500 auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. It almost reads like a misprint: former IRL star Sam Hornish Jr. is without a top-10 finish in 43 Sprint Cup starts, the equivalent of more than a year in NASCAR's top series. It's true, and it's not that much of a surprise, even to Hornish. He knew it would be a tough transition competing every week against the likes of Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Richard Petty looks over the car that John Andretti will drive for next month's Indianapolis 500 after an announcement at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Richard Petty, right, and driver John Andretti laugh during an announcement on their participation in next month's IRL Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Richard Petty, right, and driver John Andretti talk about their participation in next month's Indianapolis 500 after an announcement at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Richard Petty, right, and driver John Andretti pose next to the car that Andretti will drive for next month's Indianapolis 500 after an announcement at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, April 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Indie folk-rock artist Melissa Ferrick performs at the Canal Club in Richmond, Virginia, Friday, December 5, 2008. Her latest release, "Goodbye Youth" (Right on Record), serves up her most introspective material to date. (Chuck Myers/MCT)

MCT

Indie folk-rock artist Melissa Ferrick performs at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C., Friday, March 6, 2009. Her latest release, "Goodbye Youth" (Right on Record), serves up her most reflective material. (Chuck Myers/MCT)

MCT

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 05: Tony Kanaan, drives the #11 Team 7-Eleven Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda down Bayshore Dr. during the IRL IndyCar Series Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on April 5, 2009 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tony Kanaan

Getty Images

Continue Reading Petty's 500 Entry No 'Publicity Stunt'

Richard Petty to Enter Car in Indy 500

Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 3:37PM by Holly Cain (author feed)
Filed under: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IRL

0 COMMENTS

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. -- IndyCar Series sources said Friday that Richard Petty Motorsports, in conjunction with Dreyer and Reinbold Racing, will field a car for John Andretti in this year's Indianapolis 500. A formal announcement is set for Monday at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

A news release was issued Friday saying only that it would be a NASCAR team owner and NASCAR driver setting off speculation in the IndyCar paddock as teams prepare for this weekend's season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Continue Reading Richard Petty to Enter Car in Indy 500

McCumbee Confident, Realistic and Easy on the Eyes

Posted: Jun 10th 2007 4:21AM by tallglassofmilk (author feed)
Filed under: Carl Edwards, NASCAR Fans, Nextel Cup, Craftsman Truck Series

0 COMMENTS

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Chad McCumbee might be better known to some NASCAR fans as the driver who portrayed Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the made-for-tv movie "3: The Dale Earnhardt Story" than he is for his own racing. This despite having amassed more than 100 victories in local, regional and national WKA Dirt Series events and 3 top 10s in his NCTS 2006 rookie effort.

The Green Light Racing driver, who currently sits 14th in the NCTS standings, hopes to raise his profile this weekend when he makes his Nextel Cup debut behind the wheel of the Petty Enterprises #45 Goody's Cool Orange Dodge at Pocono, filling in for Kyle Petty, who will be in the TNT booth calling the race.

McCumbee wants to leave a lasting impression:

"When you look back at the last two years, Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin both won this race without ever racing at Pocono before. I have a lot of seat time on the track and a great team behind me. While I am looking at this as a learning experience for me, I really think we can go out there and turn some heads."

Not sure it's what he had in mind, but with that face I know he'll at least be turning the heads of female fans.

McCumbee got his visibility campaign off to a good start by winning Saturday's ARCA race. Owner Richard Petty was there to meet him in victory lane:

"When he was there, it seems like a light centers around him. It's pretty awesome. To win my first race for him was exactly what I wanted to give him. Hopefully, it's the start of a long relationship."

Despite the confidence, rather than winning, his more realistic goal for Sunday's Pocono 500 is to finish on the lead lap.

Best of luck to him. And to Kyle.

ISC Finally Gives Up in Washington

Posted: Apr 3rd 2007 9:55PM by Geoffrey Miller (author feed)
Filed under: NASCAR Gossip, NASCAR Media Watch, NASCAR Rumors, Nextel Cup, Craftsman Truck Series

2 COMMENTS

International Speedway Corporation, the track company that is a sister to NASCAR, finally -- and I mean finally -- dropped their plan to build a speedway in Washington state this year.

And it took this long?

Now before I get all the comments about how there are NASCAR fans in the Seattle and Northwest region, I know that. I know there are NASCAR racing fans all over the country. And props to you folks.

But this idea has been a failure for months now. Remember the insinuation by the Washington state Speaker of the House that Richard Petty (yeah, that guy that owns the race team that doesn't allow alcohol sponsorships) has a had a DUI? Dude ate crow for that one.

I won't even get into amazing comments made by State Rep. Larry Seaquist that NASCAR fans "aren't the kind of people you would want living next door to you". (Note: Seaquist did apologize and said he was referring the NASCAR as a company, not the fan base. I still don't buy or understand that explanation)

Even aside from the legislative hating on NASCAR racing, this plan just doesn't make sense to me. California Speedway can't sell out and it has two dates, but a track in the Northwest would? L.A. already proved "location, location, location" isn't a good marketing tool for NASCAR, but apparently ISC thought that building a track an hour and a half away from Seattle (yeah, it's smaller than that SoCal population) would be a tremendous enterprise.

As a NASCAR fan from the mid-west, I realize that I've got it pretty good with plenty of options to see a race. But you know, its almost a slap in the face to fans in the South and East that have built this sport to be building tracks and trying to get the sport away from them. There really is something about going to a NASCAR race in Charlotte and seeing how virtually the whole city is wrapped in the excitement.

Does NASCAR get that in Los Angeles? What about at Vegas? I couldn't tell you for sure, but I'd imagine it's not the talk of the town.

I'm glad NASCAR and ISC lost this battle in the Pacific Northwest. I've always been a firm believer that you should never pull your roots -- and apparently that is at odds with Brian France and the rest of the Daytona posse. Apologies to all of you loyal fans in the Northwest, but right now is just not the time for this sport to expand into Washington, much less anywhere else.