Petty Enterprises
Encyclopedia
Petty Enterprises was a NASCAR
racing team based in Randleman
, North Carolina
, USA
. The team was owned by Richard Petty
, his son Kyle Petty
, and Boston Ventures. At the time of its folding the team operated the #43 and #45 Dodge Charger
s in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Petty Enterprises ran from 1949 until 2008. The team closed shop in January 2009 and merged with Gillett Evernham Motorsports after sponsorship could not be found for any of the cars in the Petty stable; the merged team took the name Richard Petty Motorsports, adopting a logo similar to that of Petty Enterprises' logo.
, when Lee Petty
formed Lee Petty Engineering and the NASCAR Grand National Division #42. The team's first win came that year in Lee's 5th start at Heidelberg Raceway, with Petty and the team finishing 2nd in points that season. Petty won one race in each of the years 1950 and 1951, before collecting three victories in 1952. 1953 saw the team expand to a multi-car team for the first time, fielding a Plymouth
for Jimmie Lewallen
at Palm Beach Speedway, who finished 2nd to Petty. Lee grabbed five wins that season and finished second in points before winning the championship in 1954. He followed that with six wins the next season and two more the following year, making him one of the most dominating drivers in the series at that time. In 1957, Petty won 4 races as the team began running additional teams. Tiny Lund
, Bill Mutz, and Ralph Earnhardt all ran races with the team, before Bobby Myers
was killed in an accident at Darlington Raceway
.
From 1954 to 1979, Petty Enterprises won ten championships in NASCAR's premier series. Three of those championships came with Lee Petty driving the #42, and a record seven championships came with Richard Petty driving the #43. The car pictured is a 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Show Car prepared by Petty Enterprises to commemorate Richard's 1979 Championship. The car that Richard drove to his sixth Daytona 500 win was similar but with no stripes or sponsor logos on the top half of the car.
left Petty Enterprises at year's end. He took the STP sponsorship and the #43 to Mike Curb
for 1984-1985, where he scored wins #199 and #200.
For 1984-1985, Petty Enterprises concentrated on Kyle Petty
's #7 7-Eleven
-sponsored entry. Kyle earned eight top 5's, but no wins during that stretch.
For 1986, Richard Petty returned to the family operation, and Kyle Petty left to drive for the Wood Brothers
. The Petty Enterprise team continued to sag in performance, and hit rock bottom in 1989 when Richard failed to qualify for four races. Richard failed to win another race, and retired following the 1992 season.
took over the renumbered #44 car, but found little success. The car number was changed back to #43, and Busch Series Rookie of the Year Bobby Hamilton
was hired in 1995. In 1996, Hamilton earned the team's first victory since 1983 at Phoenix International Raceway
. Hamilton won again at Rockingham in 1997. He left the team at season's end to tend to his own race team
in the newly formed Craftsman Truck Series, and to drive the #4 for Morgan-McClure Motorsports
.
In 1998, journeyman John Andretti
was hired, and he gave the team another win at Martinsville
(which would ultimately be the final win for Petty Enterprises). Andretti would drive for the team until 2003, with only a second place finish at Bristol. In addition, Kyle
returned to the family organization.
The team appeared to be on the rise again with fourth-generation driver Adam Petty
joining the team. He made his first Winston Cup start in April of 2000, and many experts believed he would be the future of the team. Kyle Petty was planning to move out of the cockpit soon after, and into the full-time ownership role of the team.
was killed in a crash at the New Hampshire International Speedway
in Loudon, New Hampshire. The tragedy deeply effected the team. Kyle Petty took over what was supposed to Adam's #45 car, and drove it for several seasons in his honor. The team lost longtime sponsor STP in mid-2000, and changed to General Mills
. The team began an noticeable downward slide, and would never win another race in Cup competition.
John Andretti was released in favor Brazilian driver Christian Fittipaldi
, who struggled and was also released. Andretti returned to fill in for a few races. Then Jeff Green
took over for 2004-2005. In 2006, the team brought in 2000 Winston Cup champion Bobby Labonte
and former Hendrick
crew chief Robbie Loomis
. Many analysts saw this combination as the key to putting Petty Enterprises back into victory lane. The team's first year together showed promise, Labonte finished 21st in the points. In 2007, Labonte improved to 18th in points. In 2008, Labonte fell back to 21st, but posted two top-10 finishes. Labonte left the team before the 2009 season, leaving the car with no driver and no sponsor for 2009.
The team's merger with Gillett Evernham Motorsports moved the #43 over to that team, where it is currently driven by AJ Allmendinger and sponsored by Best Buy
, Valvoline, Super 8, and Charter Communications
.
The #45 was not always part of Petty Enterprises. The car actually started out as the #44 with PE2 which was formed by Kyle Petty in 1997, when he was unable to drive for Petty Enterprises. Sponsored by Hot Wheels
, Kyle would not find success running his own operation. In 2000, Kyle merged PE2 into Petty Enterprises. Kyle would be sponsored by Sprint
, now running the #45 in honor of his son Adam
who was killed during Busch Series practice at New Hampshire International Speedway
. From 2003 to 2005, Kyle would pick up Georgia-Pacific
and Brawny as his sponsors (the two moving over from the #44 team), but was still unable to bring Petty Enterprises back to its former days. With the addition of both Bobby Labonte and Robbie Loomis in 2006, as well as sponsors Wells Fargo
and National Tire & Battery, Petty improved his position to 34th in the points. For 2007, with the passing of Benny Parsons
, Kyle would join TNT for six races, dubbed their "Summer Series". During this time, John Andretti
returned to the team for four races, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Chad McCumbee
made his debut at Pocono Raceway
. Before his stint in the booth for TNT, Petty had some significant on-track success, finishing 3rd in the Coca-Cola 600, his first top-5 Cup finish since 1997. After the Centurion Boats at the Glen, Kyle injured his hand in the team's hauler due to punching a desk. Petty would sit out two races while Kenny Wallace and McCumbee filled in. The #45 team finished 35th in the 2007 owners points. http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/kpetty00/wc/bio.html Kyle Petty in an interview with NASCAR.com said "I no longer work for the team" when referring to Petty Enterprises.
The #44 returned as a Dodge team in 2001 with sponsorship from Georgia-Pacific and Buckshot Jones
driving. In his first year driving the car Jones finished 41st in points, failing to qualify six times and not recording a single top ten finish. Jones returned in 2002 but again struggled, and was released approximately mid-season. Petty Enterprises hired several substitute drivers including Jerry Nadeau
, who nearly led the team to victory at Sonoma in June, and Greg Biffle
, who ran the last three races.
After being used sparingly over the next season recent Petty signee Christian Fittipaldi
took over the car for 2004, but was released.
In 2009, Petty said the #44 would return with McCumbee, but McCumbee said "the plans are up in the air" due to lack of funding. With the recent merger with Gillett Evernham Motorsports, those plans have been completely scrapped and McCumbee is without a ride for 2009. The #44 will instead be taking the place for the #10 at Richard Petty Motorsports, but in a part-time capacity with A. J. Allmendinger
driving.
, North Carolina
. It would be the first time since the inception of the company that it wouldn't be located in Level Cross
, North Carolina. PEI believes that this is necessary to move forward with the team. Richard Petty said , "It's kind of hard for us and the people in the community to accept maybe we're not there anymore. We just feel for us to move forward and keep up with where NASCAR is going, we just felt we had to try to go somewhere else." http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?seriesId=2&id=3098662
One of the most distinctive features of the #43 car is its color. Petty Blue, as it's called, was created by the Petty Family. According to Richard, the color was created by accident when they didn't have enough white or dark blue paint to cover the entire car. The resulting mix of white and blue proved to be very popular and remains on the #43 car to this day. http://www.allpar.com/racing/petty-plymouth-racing.html Rumors state that Richard Petty would not allow STP
to sponsor his car unless he could keep it painted blue. A compromise was reached to paint the car half Petty Blue and half STP Red. Thus was born one of the most famous paint schemes in racing history.
will leave the #43 after the 2008 season and go to Richard Childress Racing
's fourth Cup car. Boston Ventures owns investments in companies such as Six Flags. Rumors surfaced in early December 2008 that Petty Enterprises may cease operations and liquidate its assets. In January 2009, Petty Enterprises merged with Gillette Evernham Motorsports and the #43 car was absorbed into the team. Reed Sorenson
will drive the #43 car in 2009. Boston Ventures was not able to secure sponsorship for either car, so they decided to liquidate the assets of the race team to pay off the loans taken out to purchase the team. Boston Ventures owns the legal rights to the Petty Enterprises name currently. As of January, the only employees left are Robbie Loomis
and the King Richard Petty
himself. CEO David F. Zucker has been reassigned to the Richard Petty Driving Experience, which Boston Ventures also controls.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
racing team based in Randleman
Randleman, North Carolina
Randleman is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,557 at the 2000 census. It is the home of NASCAR's Petty family, the Richard Petty Museum, and the Victory Junction Gang Camp.-Geography:...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The team was owned by Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
, his son Kyle Petty
Kyle Petty
Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam...
, and Boston Ventures. At the time of its folding the team operated the #43 and #45 Dodge Charger
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is an American automobile manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler. There have been several different Dodge vehicles, built on three different platforms and sizes, all bearing the Charger nameplate...
s in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Petty Enterprises ran from 1949 until 2008. The team closed shop in January 2009 and merged with Gillett Evernham Motorsports after sponsorship could not be found for any of the cars in the Petty stable; the merged team took the name Richard Petty Motorsports, adopting a logo similar to that of Petty Enterprises' logo.
Car #43 History
Arguably one of the most recognizable numbers in motorsports, the 43 team debuted in 19491949 in NASCAR
The 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock season was the inaugural season of professional stock car racing in the United States. Beginning at Charlotte Speedway on June 19, 1949, the season included eight races and two exhibition races. The season concluded with the Wilkes 200 at North Wilkesboro Speedway on...
, when Lee Petty
Lee Petty
Lee Arnold Petty was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR, and one of its first superstars. He was born near Randleman, North Carolina.-Career:...
formed Lee Petty Engineering and the NASCAR Grand National Division #42. The team's first win came that year in Lee's 5th start at Heidelberg Raceway, with Petty and the team finishing 2nd in points that season. Petty won one race in each of the years 1950 and 1951, before collecting three victories in 1952. 1953 saw the team expand to a multi-car team for the first time, fielding a Plymouth
Plymouth (automobile)
Plymouth was a marque of automobile based in the United States, produced by the Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler.-Origins:...
for Jimmie Lewallen
Jimmie Lewallen
Jimmie Lewallen was an American racecar driver from High Point, North Carolina, USA. He competed in NASCAR's Strictly Stock/Grand National division from its first race at Charlotte Speedway in 1949 until 1960.-Racing career:Lewallen began his racing career in motorcycles in 1934...
at Palm Beach Speedway, who finished 2nd to Petty. Lee grabbed five wins that season and finished second in points before winning the championship in 1954. He followed that with six wins the next season and two more the following year, making him one of the most dominating drivers in the series at that time. In 1957, Petty won 4 races as the team began running additional teams. Tiny Lund
Tiny Lund
DeWayne Louis "Tiny" Lund was a NASCAR driver. He was ironically nicknamed "Tiny" due to his rather large and imposing size.-Background:...
, Bill Mutz, and Ralph Earnhardt all ran races with the team, before Bobby Myers
Bobby Myers
Bobby Jermaine Myers is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the fourth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers....
was killed in an accident at Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
.
Glory Years
Dark Years
From 1980 to 1983, Richard Petty won eight races, which brought his career total to 198 NASCAR wins. At the 1983 Miller High Life 500, Petty's 198th win, the car failed post-race inspection. The car was found to have illegal tires, and an over-sized engine, and Richard's brother Maurice was mostly to blame. Petty was fined $35,000 but the victory was upheld. The incident increased friction at the team, and RichardRichard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
left Petty Enterprises at year's end. He took the STP sponsorship and the #43 to Mike Curb
Mike Curb
Michael Curb is an American musician, record company executive, NASCAR and IRL race car owner. A Republican, he served as the 42nd Lieutenant Governor of California from 1979-1983 under Democratic Governor Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr...
for 1984-1985, where he scored wins #199 and #200.
For 1984-1985, Petty Enterprises concentrated on Kyle Petty
Kyle Petty
Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam...
's #7 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
-sponsored entry. Kyle earned eight top 5's, but no wins during that stretch.
For 1986, Richard Petty returned to the family operation, and Kyle Petty left to drive for the Wood Brothers
Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing is an American auto racing team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Camping World Truck Series. The team was formed in 1950 by the sons of Walter and Ada Wood, thus the Wood Brothers...
. The Petty Enterprise team continued to sag in performance, and hit rock bottom in 1989 when Richard failed to qualify for four races. Richard failed to win another race, and retired following the 1992 season.
Resurgence
After Richard Petty's retirement, Rick WilsonRick Wilson (NASCAR)
Rick Wilson is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver. He began racing in 1980, and posted 23 top-ten finishes over his career...
took over the renumbered #44 car, but found little success. The car number was changed back to #43, and Busch Series Rookie of the Year Bobby Hamilton
Bobby Hamilton
Charles Robert Hamilton, Sr. was a driver and owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit and the winner of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. Hamilton owned Bobby Hamilton Racing, which fielded three entries in each NCWTS event...
was hired in 1995. In 1996, Hamilton earned the team's first victory since 1983 at Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
. Hamilton won again at Rockingham in 1997. He left the team at season's end to tend to his own race team
Bobby Hamilton Racing
Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia was a former NASCAR racing team. It was owned by four-time NEXTEL Cup winner and 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton until his death on January 7, 2007. Bobby Hamilton, Jr. was given ownership after the death of his father, but the younger...
in the newly formed Craftsman Truck Series, and to drive the #4 for Morgan-McClure Motorsports
Morgan-McClure Motorsports
Morgan-McClure Motorsports is an American auto racing team that competed in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series full time until 2007 and now occasionally attempts races. It has been in operation for 27 years, starting in 1982. The team is most notable for running the #4 from 1983 to 2009.-Starting...
.
In 1998, journeyman John Andretti
John Andretti
John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:...
was hired, and he gave the team another win at Martinsville
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
(which would ultimately be the final win for Petty Enterprises). Andretti would drive for the team until 2003, with only a second place finish at Bristol. In addition, Kyle
Kyle Petty
Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam...
returned to the family organization.
The team appeared to be on the rise again with fourth-generation driver Adam Petty
Adam Petty
Adam Kyler Petty was a professional racing driver. He was the first fourth-generation driver in NASCAR history.-Early life:...
joining the team. He made his first Winston Cup start in April of 2000, and many experts believed he would be the future of the team. Kyle Petty was planning to move out of the cockpit soon after, and into the full-time ownership role of the team.
Demise
About a month and a half after his first career Winston Cup start, Adam PettyAdam Petty
Adam Kyler Petty was a professional racing driver. He was the first fourth-generation driver in NASCAR history.-Early life:...
was killed in a crash at the New Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic...
in Loudon, New Hampshire. The tragedy deeply effected the team. Kyle Petty took over what was supposed to Adam's #45 car, and drove it for several seasons in his honor. The team lost longtime sponsor STP in mid-2000, and changed to General Mills
General Mills
General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green...
. The team began an noticeable downward slide, and would never win another race in Cup competition.
John Andretti was released in favor Brazilian driver Christian Fittipaldi
Christian Fittipaldi
Christian Fittipaldi is a Brazilian racing driver who has competed in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, Champ Car and NASCAR...
, who struggled and was also released. Andretti returned to fill in for a few races. Then Jeff Green
Jeff Green (NASCAR)
Jeffery Green is an American stock car driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He currently drives part time in the Nationwide Series for Tri-Star Motorsports in their #44 entry and the Sprint Cup Series for Front Row Motorsports in their #55 entry.Green's 1990 Nashville Speedway USA championship...
took over for 2004-2005. In 2006, the team brought in 2000 Winston Cup champion Bobby Labonte
Bobby Labonte
Robert Alan "Bobby" Labonte is an American race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He currently drives the #47 Kroger/Clorox/Kimberly-Clark/Kingsford/Reese Towpower Hitches Toyota Camry for JTG Daugherty Racing. He currently resides in Trinity, North Carolina. He is married to his wife...
and former Hendrick
Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
crew chief Robbie Loomis
Robbie Loomis
Robbie Loomis is a former NASCAR crew chief who worked for Petty Enterprises and Hendrick Motorsports during his time as a crew chief, working most notably with Richard Petty and Jeff Gordon...
. Many analysts saw this combination as the key to putting Petty Enterprises back into victory lane. The team's first year together showed promise, Labonte finished 21st in the points. In 2007, Labonte improved to 18th in points. In 2008, Labonte fell back to 21st, but posted two top-10 finishes. Labonte left the team before the 2009 season, leaving the car with no driver and no sponsor for 2009.
The team's merger with Gillett Evernham Motorsports moved the #43 over to that team, where it is currently driven by AJ Allmendinger and sponsored by Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
, Valvoline, Super 8, and Charter Communications
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
.
Car #44/#45 History
Hot Wheels
Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:...
, Kyle would not find success running his own operation. In 2000, Kyle merged PE2 into Petty Enterprises. Kyle would be sponsored by Sprint
Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel Corporation is an American telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas. The company owns and operates Sprint, the third largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, with 53.4 million customers, behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility...
, now running the #45 in honor of his son Adam
Adam Petty
Adam Kyler Petty was a professional racing driver. He was the first fourth-generation driver in NASCAR history.-Early life:...
who was killed during Busch Series practice at New Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic...
. From 2003 to 2005, Kyle would pick up Georgia-Pacific
Georgia-Pacific
Georgia-Pacific LLC is an American pulp and paper company based in Atlanta, Georgia, and is one of the world's leading manufacturers and distributors of tissue, pulp, paper, packaging, building products and related chemicals. As of Fall 2010, the company employed more than 40,000 people at more...
and Brawny as his sponsors (the two moving over from the #44 team), but was still unable to bring Petty Enterprises back to its former days. With the addition of both Bobby Labonte and Robbie Loomis in 2006, as well as sponsors Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
and National Tire & Battery, Petty improved his position to 34th in the points. For 2007, with the passing of Benny Parsons
Benny Parsons
Benjamin Stewart Parsons was an American NASCAR driver, and later an announcer/analyst on TBS, ESPN, NBC and TNT...
, Kyle would join TNT for six races, dubbed their "Summer Series". During this time, John Andretti
John Andretti
John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:...
returned to the team for four races, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Chad McCumbee
Chad McCumbee
Chad McCumbee is an American stock car driver. He currently drives the #1 ModSpace Ford Fusion for Andy Belmont Racing in the ARCA Racing Series and has run four full seasons in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He is also known for his portrayal of Dale Earnhardt, Jr...
made his debut at Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
. Before his stint in the booth for TNT, Petty had some significant on-track success, finishing 3rd in the Coca-Cola 600, his first top-5 Cup finish since 1997. After the Centurion Boats at the Glen, Kyle injured his hand in the team's hauler due to punching a desk. Petty would sit out two races while Kenny Wallace and McCumbee filled in. The #45 team finished 35th in the 2007 owners points. http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/kpetty00/wc/bio.html Kyle Petty in an interview with NASCAR.com said "I no longer work for the team" when referring to Petty Enterprises.
The #44 returned as a Dodge team in 2001 with sponsorship from Georgia-Pacific and Buckshot Jones
Buckshot Jones
Roy "Buckshot" Jones , is an auto racing driver who has competed in NASCAR and sprint cars. He most recently ran in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series....
driving. In his first year driving the car Jones finished 41st in points, failing to qualify six times and not recording a single top ten finish. Jones returned in 2002 but again struggled, and was released approximately mid-season. Petty Enterprises hired several substitute drivers including Jerry Nadeau
Jerry Nadeau
Jerry Nadeau is a retired race car driver from Danbury, Connecticut. Nadeau competed in the 1994 Barber Dodge Pro Series and the 1996 Formula Opel Euroseries.-NASCAR career:Nadeau's NASCAR career began in 1995 in the Busch Series...
, who nearly led the team to victory at Sonoma in June, and Greg Biffle
Greg Biffle
Gregory Jack "Greg" Biffle is a NASCAR driver who drives the #16 3M Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. After racing in the NASCAR Winter Heat Series in the mid-90s, he was recommended to Jack Roush by former announcer Benny Parsons...
, who ran the last three races.
After being used sparingly over the next season recent Petty signee Christian Fittipaldi
Christian Fittipaldi
Christian Fittipaldi is a Brazilian racing driver who has competed in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, Champ Car and NASCAR...
took over the car for 2004, but was released.
In 2009, Petty said the #44 would return with McCumbee, but McCumbee said "the plans are up in the air" due to lack of funding. With the recent merger with Gillett Evernham Motorsports, those plans have been completely scrapped and McCumbee is without a ride for 2009. The #44 will instead be taking the place for the #10 at Richard Petty Motorsports, but in a part-time capacity with A. J. Allmendinger
A. J. Allmendinger
Allmendinger again failed to qualify for the 2008 Daytona 500. After three failures to qualify in 2 attempts , he was replaced by veteran driver Mike Skinner on a temporary basis. Allmendinger returned to the Cup series at Talladega...
driving.
Relocation
Late in the 2007 season, Petty Enterprises moved its shop into the old Robert Yates Racing facility in MooresvilleMooresville, North Carolina
Mooresville is a large suburban town in southern Iredell County, North Carolina, USA. It is in the Metrolina metro area. The population was 32,133 at the 2010 United States Census...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. It would be the first time since the inception of the company that it wouldn't be located in Level Cross
Randleman, North Carolina
Randleman is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,557 at the 2000 census. It is the home of NASCAR's Petty family, the Richard Petty Museum, and the Victory Junction Gang Camp.-Geography:...
, North Carolina. PEI believes that this is necessary to move forward with the team. Richard Petty said , "It's kind of hard for us and the people in the community to accept maybe we're not there anymore. We just feel for us to move forward and keep up with where NASCAR is going, we just felt we had to try to go somewhere else." http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?seriesId=2&id=3098662
Petty Blue
STP (motor oil company)
STP is an American brand and trade name for the automotive additives, lubricants and performance division of Armored AutoGroup.Founded in 1953 in Saint Joseph, Missouri, the company’s name, STP, was derived from “Scientifically Treated Petroleum”...
to sponsor his car unless he could keep it painted blue. A compromise was reached to paint the car half Petty Blue and half STP Red. Thus was born one of the most famous paint schemes in racing history.
#1 History
| Driver | Year(s) | Sponsor | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dick Brooks Dick Brooks Richard "Dick" Brooks was an American NASCAR driver. Born in Porterville, California, he was the 1969 NASCAR Rookie of the Year, and went on to win the 1973 Talladega 500... |
1985 | Petty Enterprises | Ford |
| Morgan Shepherd Morgan Shepherd Clay Morgan Shepherd has been a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver since 1977. He has also raced in the Nationwide, and Camping World Truck Series. He is a born again Christian who serves as a lay minister to the racing community... |
1985 | Petty Enterprises | Ford |
#2 History
| Driver | Year(s) | Sponsor | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny Dodson | 1957 | Petty Enterprises | Oldsmobile |
#7 History
| Driver | Year(s) | Sponsor | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Petty Kyle Petty Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam... |
1983–1984 | 7-11 | Pontiac/Ford |
#11 History
| Driver | Year(s) | Sponsor | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buddy Baker Buddy Baker Elzie Wylie Baker, Jr. , nicknamed "Leadfoot" or more famously Buddy, is a former American NASCAR racecar driver.-Early life:... |
1971–1972 | Dodge/STP STP (motor oil company) STP is an American brand and trade name for the automotive additives, lubricants and performance division of Armored AutoGroup.Founded in 1953 in Saint Joseph, Missouri, the company’s name, STP, was derived from “Scientifically Treated Petroleum”... |
Dodge |
#38 History
| Driver | Year(s) | Sponsor | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Petty Lee Petty Lee Arnold Petty was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR, and one of its first superstars. He was born near Randleman, North Carolina.-Career:... |
1949 | Petty Enterprises | Buick |
#40 History
| Driver | Year(s) | Sponsor | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pete Hamilton Pete Hamilton Pete Hamilton is a retired American NASCAR racer. He won four times in his career , three times driving for Petty Enterprises. His father was a Ph.D. from Harvard University.... |
1970 | Petty Enterprises/7-Up | Plymouth |
#41 History
| Driver | Year(s) | Sponsor | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buck Baker Buck Baker Elzie Wylie Baker Sr. , better known as Buck Baker, was an American race car driver.-Racing career:... Jim Paschal Jim Paschal James Roy "Jim" Paschal, Jr. was a NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup driver. He won twenty-five races and twelve poles over his career. Elected to the "Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame" in 1977, he won the World 600 in 1964 and the 1967 Charlotte Motor Speedway... Lee Petty Lee Petty Lee Arnold Petty was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR, and one of its first superstars. He was born near Randleman, North Carolina.-Career:... Maurice Petty |
1964 | Petty Enterprises | Plymouth |
#42 History
| Driver | Year(s) | Sponsor | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Petty Lee Petty Lee Arnold Petty was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR, and one of its first superstars. He was born near Randleman, North Carolina.-Career:... |
1949–1964 | Petty Enterprises | Various |
| Richard Petty Richard Petty Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series... |
1965 | Petty Enterprises | Plymouth |
| Marvin Panch Marvin Panch Marvin Panch Marvin Panch Marvin Panch (born May 28, 1926, in Menomonie, Wisconsin, is a former NASCAR driver.-Early career:He started his racing career as a car owner in Oakland, California. One week, his driver did not show up, and he raced the car to a third place finish... Paul Lewis Paul Lewis (racing driver) Paul Lewis is a retired NASCAR Grand National Series race car driver whose career spanned from 1960 to 1968 while primarily driving a #2 Dodge vehicle owned by Mr. Bobby Allison-Summary:... Tiny Lund Tiny Lund DeWayne Louis "Tiny" Lund was a NASCAR driver. He was ironically nicknamed "Tiny" due to his rather large and imposing size.-Background:... G.C. Spencer G.C. Spencer G. C. Spencer July 9, 1925 in Owensboro, Kentucky – September 20, 2007 in Johnson City, Tennessee was a NASCAR driver who competed in 415 Grand National/Winston Cup races from 1958 to 1977... |
1966–1967 | Petty Enterprises | Plymouth |
| Dan Gurney Dan Gurney Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager... |
1970 | Petty Enterprises | Plymouth |
| Kyle Petty Kyle Petty Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam... |
1979-82 | STP | Various |
#43 History
| Driver | Year(s) | Sponsor | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Welborn Bob Welborn Robert "Bob" Joe Welborn of Denton, North Carolina, USA is a former NASCAR Grand National driver. He was named to NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers list in 1998... |
1954 | Petty Enterprises | Dodge |
| Bill Lutz | 1957 | Petty Enterprises | Oldsmobile |
| Richard Petty Richard Petty Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series... |
1958–1983; 1986–1992 | Chrysler Corp./STP | Various |
| LeeRoy Yarbrough LeeRoy Yarbrough Lonnie "LeeRoy" Yarbrough was a NASCAR racer. His best season was 1969 when he won seven races, tallied 21 finishes in the top-ten and earned $193,211... Darrell Dieringer Jim Paschal Jim Paschal James Roy "Jim" Paschal, Jr. was a NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup driver. He won twenty-five races and twelve poles over his career. Elected to the "Stock Car Racing Hall of Fame" in 1977, he won the World 600 in 1964 and the 1967 Charlotte Motor Speedway... |
1965–1967, 1970 | Petty Enterprises | Plymouth |
| Wally Dallenbach Jr. John Andretti John Andretti John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:... |
1994 | STP | Pontiac |
| Bobby Hamilton Bobby Hamilton Charles Robert Hamilton, Sr. was a driver and owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit and the winner of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. Hamilton owned Bobby Hamilton Racing, which fielded three entries in each NCWTS event... |
1995–1997 | STP | Pontiac |
| John Andretti John Andretti John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:... |
1998–1999 | STP | Pontiac |
| John Andretti John Andretti John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:... |
2000 | Cheerios/Betty Crocker | Pontiac |
| John Andretti John Andretti John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:... |
2001–2003 | Cheerios/Betty Crocker | Dodge |
| Christian Fittipaldi Christian Fittipaldi Christian Fittipaldi is a Brazilian racing driver who has competed in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, Champ Car and NASCAR... |
2003 | Cheerios/Betty Crocker | Dodge |
| Jeff Green Jeff Green (NASCAR) Jeffery Green is an American stock car driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He currently drives part time in the Nationwide Series for Tri-Star Motorsports in their #44 entry and the Sprint Cup Series for Front Row Motorsports in their #55 entry.Green's 1990 Nashville Speedway USA championship... |
2003–2005 | Cheerios/Betty Crocker | Dodge |
| Bobby Labonte Bobby Labonte Robert Alan "Bobby" Labonte is an American race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He currently drives the #47 Kroger/Clorox/Kimberly-Clark/Kingsford/Reese Towpower Hitches Toyota Camry for JTG Daugherty Racing. He currently resides in Trinity, North Carolina. He is married to his wife... |
2006–2008 | Cheerios/Betty Crocker | Dodge |
#44 History
| Driver | Year(s) | Sponsor | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Welborn Bob Welborn Robert "Bob" Joe Welborn of Denton, North Carolina, USA is a former NASCAR Grand National driver. He was named to NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers list in 1998... |
1954 | Petty Enterprises | Dodge |
| Rick Wilson Rick Wilson (NASCAR) Rick Wilson is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver. He began racing in 1980, and posted 23 top-ten finishes over his career... |
1993 | STP | Pontiac |
| Kyle Petty Kyle Petty Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam... |
1997–2000 | Hot Wheels Hot Wheels Hot Wheels is a brand of die cast toy car, introduced by American toymaker Mattel in 1968. It was the primary competitor of Matchbox until 1996, when Mattel acquired rights to the Matchbox brand from Tyco.-Models:... |
Pontiac |
| Steve Grissom Steve Grissom Steve Grissom is a NASCAR driver. Grissom was the 1993 Busch Series champion and has eleven Busch wins in 185 starts. He turned down a scholarship to play quarterback at the University of Alabama to focus a career on racing.... |
2000 | Hot Wheels | Pontiac |
| Buckshot Jones Buckshot Jones Roy "Buckshot" Jones , is an auto racing driver who has competed in NASCAR and sprint cars. He most recently ran in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series.... |
2001–2002 | Georgia Pacific | Dodge |
| Jerry Nadeau Jerry Nadeau Jerry Nadeau is a retired race car driver from Danbury, Connecticut. Nadeau competed in the 1994 Barber Dodge Pro Series and the 1996 Formula Opel Euroseries.-NASCAR career:Nadeau's NASCAR career began in 1995 in the Busch Series... |
2002 | Georgia Pacific | Dodge |
| Christian Fittipaldi Christian Fittipaldi Christian Fittipaldi is a Brazilian racing driver who has competed in various forms of motorsport including Formula One, Champ Car and NASCAR... |
2003 | Bugles | Dodge |
#45 History
| Driver | Year(s) | Sponsor | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Petty Adam Petty Adam Kyler Petty was a professional racing driver. He was the first fourth-generation driver in NASCAR history.-Early life:... |
2000 | Sprint | Chevrolet |
| Kyle Petty Kyle Petty Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam... |
2000–2002 | Sprint | Pontiac/Dodge |
| Kyle Petty | 2003–2005 | Georgia Pacific | Dodge |
| Kyle Petty | 2006 | Wells Fargo Marathon Tire Kingdom Schwans MyCokeRewards |
Dodge |
| Kyle Petty Chad McCumbee Chad McCumbee Chad McCumbee is an American stock car driver. He currently drives the #1 ModSpace Ford Fusion for Andy Belmont Racing in the ARCA Racing Series and has run four full seasons in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He is also known for his portrayal of Dale Earnhardt, Jr... John Andretti John Andretti John Andretti is an American race car driver. He has won in CART, IMSA GTP, Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR. He was the last NASCAR driver to win a Cup race for the famous Petty Enterprises team.-Andretti family:... Kenny Wallace Kenny Wallace Kenneth Wallace is an American stock car driver who currently drives the #09 Family Farmers/University of Northwestern Ohio/Federated Auto Parts/American Ethanol/Iowa Corn/G-Oil/Marquis Energy Toyota Camry for RAB Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series... |
2007 | Wells Fargo Marathon Tire Kingdom Coke Zero Goody's Cool Orange |
Dodge |
| Kyle Petty Chad McCumbee Terry Labonte Terry Labonte Terrance Lee Labonte is a semi-retired NASCAR driver who occasionally drives in the Sprint Cup Series when called upon and is a two-time Winston Cup and IROC champion. He currently drives the #32 U.S. Chrome Ford for FAS Lane Racing. Labonte was introduced to the sport through his father, who had... Boris Said Boris Said Boris Said is an American race car driver from Carlsbad, California but considers his hometown to be Stamford, Connecticut. His father, Bob Said, was a Formula One race driver and US Olympic bobsled driver in 1968 and 1972. He drove the #26 Ford Fusion for Latitude 43 Motorsports in the NASCAR... |
2008 | Wells Fargo Marathon PVA.org Garmin GPSStore |
Dodge |
#46 History
| Driver | Year(s) | Sponsor | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bobby Johns Bobby Johns Bobby Johns is a retired American racecar driver.Johns raced in the NASCAR series in the 1956-1969 seasons, with 141 career starts. He had 2 wins among his 36 top ten finishes and finished the 1960 season 3rd in the points... |
1960 | Petty Enterprises | Plymouth |
#88/188 History
| Driver | Year(s) | Sponsor | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ralph Earnhardt Tiny Lund Tiny Lund DeWayne Louis "Tiny" Lund was a NASCAR driver. He was ironically nicknamed "Tiny" due to his rather large and imposing size.-Background:... |
1957 | Petty Enterprises | Oldsmobile (ran as #88 for 1 race) |
| Jim Linke | 1958 | Petty Enterprises | Oldsmobile |
Boston Ventures
In 2008, Boston Ventures invested into Petty Enterprises and Bobby Labonte signed a four-year extension to drive the #43 Dodge for the Pettys. General MillsGeneral Mills
General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green...
will leave the #43 after the 2008 season and go to Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing
RCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress...
's fourth Cup car. Boston Ventures owns investments in companies such as Six Flags. Rumors surfaced in early December 2008 that Petty Enterprises may cease operations and liquidate its assets. In January 2009, Petty Enterprises merged with Gillette Evernham Motorsports and the #43 car was absorbed into the team. Reed Sorenson
Reed Sorenson
Bradley Reed Sorenson is an American NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #82 MacDonald Motorsports Dodge Charger in the Nationwide Series...
will drive the #43 car in 2009. Boston Ventures was not able to secure sponsorship for either car, so they decided to liquidate the assets of the race team to pay off the loans taken out to purchase the team. Boston Ventures owns the legal rights to the Petty Enterprises name currently. As of January, the only employees left are Robbie Loomis
Robbie Loomis
Robbie Loomis is a former NASCAR crew chief who worked for Petty Enterprises and Hendrick Motorsports during his time as a crew chief, working most notably with Richard Petty and Jeff Gordon...
and the King Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
himself. CEO David F. Zucker has been reassigned to the Richard Petty Driving Experience, which Boston Ventures also controls.