It was a sad day in February, 1961, when Lee Petty sailed out of Daytona International Speedway on the front bumper of Johnny Beauchamps car. I am sitting here looking at a picture of Richard and Lee at Daytona in 1962, Lee sitting in the number 42 as if he is going to race. He tried a few times, I recall, in 1962, but he had lost the fire. I remember seeing Lee and Richard at Rambi Raceway in July, 1963, with two 1963 Plymouth Furys with names painted on the doors as they were street cars parked in the infield. That was the day Lynda asked me to watch a three year old Kyle for a few minutes. I watched Richard run his last race in 1992 at Atlanta after being at Charlotte and Darlington with him that year. I remember getting his autographs after the Southern 500 which I still have on my pit pass. He was so tired you would not know it was really his autograph and after all the years of following him and hounding him after races it was sad then to know the age had caught up with him as it does with all of us. Watching on TV that Sunday when Richard came out in that damaged car to run the last lap at Atlanta was a tearful experience for me as I saw the end of my life of excitement over the 43 disappearing into turn three. The next year, as hard as I tried to pull for Rick Wilson in the 44, it was just not the same.
As for Kyle, I believe his potential was there,but the Ernie Irvan caused wreck at Talladega that injured Kyle's leg so badly took something out of Kyle. He was never his father, nor his grandfather, nor was he intended to be or wanted to be. He was, and is, Kyle, and that's good enough for him and for me. Right in front of where I sit now is a picture of Kyle and my Mom talking to him as she loved to do.
Then comes Adam. I was at Myrtle Beach Speedway one night in the mid nineties I guess, and walked by a Legends car with Adam written on the roof. There was this gangly kid with the trademark Petty smile who I know couldn't have been 13. We spoke very briefly as I passed by to get information on the upcoming race for my radio show the next week. I told him I would be back to talk later, but those were the only words I every exchanged with Adam Petty. I was sitting at a desk in my office in the law firm that afternoon when someone called, not even a race fan, to say he had just heard Adam Petty was killed at the track in New Hampshire. I refused to believe it, would not believe it even that night when I saw it on the sports. Adam was my new lease on my racing life. He had the smile of The King, the genuinely sweet personality of his Daddy, and the competitive fire of his great granddad who had started it all. It was, for me, the bullet in the gut that used to cause the cowboys such painful deaths in the wildwest gunfights.
I could not understand, at the time, how Richard was so without emotion, but I think I understand now that his emotions, of any kind, are not for public display. As for Kyle and Patty,they have done tremendous good with The Victory Junction Camp.
Then came the closing of Petty Enterprises. Again I felt slapped down, desserted, and wasn't sure of my next step with racing. I never believed, from the first second, that Richard Petty was anything more than a name conveniently used by George Gillette and the big money folks to give that race team some legetimacy. Everytime I saw Richard on TV for any interview, the spark was gone, there was no "Petty genuiness" there.
Then, two weeks ago my good friend Terry Huntley gave me the DVD "Petty Blue", which I watched the next night. I had a lump in my throat for a lot of that DVD and tears in my eyes on three different times. My King was abdicating, it was obvious even then, and there was no prince to inherit the throne.
Now, this. Now the Gillette, Fenway, Rousch, Yates, Soccer, Baseball debacle that has destroyed what was. As Margaret Mitchell wrote in the 30s, it is "Gone With The Wind".
Not to have a number 43 on the track will be the ultimate example of how far we've come from the golden days of stock car racing and all the things that fascinate those of us who are loyal members of Racers Reunion. I will survive, as will The King. I would almost think he will be at the race track no matter what. After all, he's been there for 60 years. Probably doesn't know how to sit down in a recliner on a Sunday afternoon. I have issues with the way it happened, but Richard Petty is Richard Petty and he cannot be dimished by such actions outside his control.
I would like to say this to NASCAR: When Richard retired, he ran
#44 on the Petty entry the next year and there was no
#43. As I understand your ruling handed down to Richard, either he return the 43 to competition or it was up from grabs to any team wanting it. That same restriction has NOT been issued to Richard Childress as to the number 3. If you have, indeed, retired the number 3, then you need to find it within your heart, if, in fact any of you have hearts, to retire the number 43.
Tim
