(photo courtesy Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Richard Petty must be hooked on the Indy 500.

Richard Petty Motorsports and Andretti Auotosports have announced that they will join forces for the 2011 Indy 500, entering a car into the field for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Weekend this year.

John . . . → Read More: Petty and Andretti Join Forces Again For The Indy 500]]>

(photo courtesy Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Richard Petty must be hooked on the Indy 500.

Richard Petty Motorsports and Andretti Auotosports have announced that they will join forces for the 2011 Indy 500, entering a car into the field for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Weekend this year.

John Andretti, who has made 11 prior Indy 500 starts including last year’s run for the Petty-Andretti combo, will drive the #43 Window World car with a traditional “Petty Blue” and “Day-Glo Red” color scheme. However, the livery featured on this year’s entry was inspired by the 1982 race-winning car of Gordon Johncock and designed to commemorate that historic car.

“No matter how many times you’ve done it before,” Andretti said, “it never gets old to announce that you’re going to run in the Indianapolis 500. To be able to represent Window World again is fantastic, as is the opportunity to work with Richard (Petty) and Michael (Andretti). Winning the Indianapolis 500 has always been a dream of mine. To be able to have another shot at that is tremendous, and being able to make one of our military heroes a millionaire in the process would make it that much better.”

2011 marks the third-straight year Window World has served as John’s primary sponsor in the Indianapolis 500. Headquartered in North Wilkesboro, N.C., Window World remains America’s largest replacement window company with offices in more than 200 cities nationwide.

This will also be the third-consecutive Indy 500 to include participation from Richard Petty, a racing icon and one of the most-recognizable figures in NASCAR history. A 200-time NASCAR race winner and seven-time NASCAR champion, Petty witnessed the Indianapolis 500 in person for the first time in 2007 and participated as a co-owner for the first time in 2009.

What is your views on Richard Petty partnering again with Michael Andretti to enter a car in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo courtesy Jeff Zelevansky)

Richard Petty and a group of financial associates have signed and closed a deal to purchase Richard Petty Motorsports from George Gillett.  The investment group of associates are; Richard Petty, Medallion Group, and DGB Investments.

Petty, is a seven-time NASCAR champion who has won 200 races, including 10 . . . → Read More: The King Is King Again!]]>

(photo courtesy Jeff Zelevansky)

Richard Petty and a group of financial associates have signed and closed a deal to purchase Richard Petty Motorsports from George Gillett.  The investment group of associates are; Richard Petty, Medallion Group, and DGB Investments.

Petty, is a seven-time NASCAR champion who has won 200 races, including 10 Daytona races. Known in the NASCAR world as “The King,” Petty will serve as Chairman and will be actively involved in overseeing day-to-day operations of the company.

The team will operate the legendary #43 car driven by AJ Allmendinger and the #9 car driven by Marcos Ambrose.

“Today is a great day for me, my family, our fans and our wonderful sponsors. Ford, Stanley Tools, Best Buy, Valvoline, Reynolds, Air Force, Super 8, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), WIX Filters and Menards have supported me through thick and thin and I thank them from the bottom of my heart,” Petty said.

Jamie Allison, Director, Ford North America Motorsports, said in a statement: “We’re elated that Richard Petty has been able to complete this very complex task of restructuring Richard Petty Motorsports.  Everyone knows that The King is a motorsports icon and to have him part of the Ford Racing family is something we cherish.”

“George and Foster Gillett deserve a great deal of credit for running a successful race team,” commented Petty. “They made a significant investment into the business and helped get back into Victory Lane. Going forward, we have put together an all-star ownership team consisting of myself, Medallion, and VeriFone CEO Doug Bergeron.”

Medallion Financial, a publicly traded investment company, has invested over $3 billion in companies since its IPO in 1996 and its board members include such notables as former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, former Connecticut Governor and Senator Lowell Weicker, and another “King” of his sport, Hank Aaron. The Murstein family is the largest shareholder in Medallion, owning approximately 20 percent.

DGB Investments is an investment vehicle of Canadian-born investor Douglas G. Bergeron, CEO of VeriFone Systems, Inc. (NYSE: PAY), San Jose, Calif. In 2001, Bergeron and DGB participated in the acquisition of VeriFone Systems from Hewlett-Packard in a transaction valued at $50 million. Today, VeriFone’s market value exceeds $3 billion dollars and Bergeron remains CEO and one of the largest individual shareholders.

Richard Petty concluded, “Our partnership with Andy Murstein and Doug Bergeron will help take us to a whole new level and I could not be more excited about our future.”

With this latest transaction it would appear that once again, “King Richard Petty” will be able reign again as King of NASCAR!

What is your view on this latest financial twist of Richard Petty Motorsports?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(file photo courtesy NASCAR)

This year marks the “golden anniversary” of  The Atlanta Motor Speedway.  The foundation of this 870 acre facility began back in the planning stage in 1958.

WOMR would like to reflect on some thoughts about the six races at Atlanta that were viewed in person.  The first Atlanta . . . → Read More: Atlanta: The Golden Anniversary]]>

(file photo courtesy NASCAR)

This year marks the “golden anniversary” of  The Atlanta Motor Speedway.  The foundation of this 870 acre facility began back in the planning stage in 1958.

WOMR would like to reflect on some thoughts about the six races at Atlanta that were viewed in person.  The first Atlanta race that WOMR attended was on the spur of the moment, therefore the seat that was available was less than desirable.  It was way down low and just past the old start/finish line.  Since the reconfiguration that location now is on the back stretch, and the grandstands have been torn down in favor of the luxury RV parking.

Having grown up in the San Joaquin Valley of California, there was an abundance of car racing there in the 50′s, 60′s, and 70′s.  Growing up in the Central Valley of California, I had watched George Snider, Billy Vukovich, Jr., Dick Brooks, Al Pombo, Marshall Sargent, Joe Leonard, and Howard Kaeding, just to name a few of the West Coast “hot shoes” race in Fresno, Clovis, and San Jose, CA race on a regular basis.  Additionally, USAC and NASCAR would also make their rounds through California and I witnessed the “immortals of racing”, “Lone Star JR” Johnny Rutherford, Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Jr. Parnelli Jones, Bobby Unser,  Al Unser,Sr., Roger Ward, and Jim Hurtubise as well.

Nevertheless, when I parked my car in the parking lot of  The Atlanta Motor Speedway there was a sense of grandeur like no other that I have witnessed in my, then, 34 years.  As I walked to my seat, the pre-race pageantry, spartan by today’s comparison, was electric.  I thought to myself, I am at the big time, the big show, I’m at NASCAR!

The race cars were being assembled on the grid, down on pit road.  There was “The King’s” car, that legendary Petty Blue and STP Day-Glo #43 Pontiac staring back at me.  WOW!  I looked further and saw Cale Yarborough’s Hardee’s #28 race car.  I peered longer and I spotted the Wrangler #3 Chevy of “The Intimidator”, Dale Earnhardt, Sr.  Then there was the red Budweiser #9 Ford Thunderbird of “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville,’ that “aw shucks” lanky redheaded Bill Elliott.  I spotted Buddy Baker’s racing machine, ol DW’s (Darrell Waltrip)#17 Tide ride was there, and the black #27 Miller Genuine Draft Pontiac of Rusty Wallace was perched on the gird, too.  Just looking at the starting grid sent chills up and down the back of my redneck!

I was totally awe struck!  I had made it to the big time, this is NASCAR!

When the pageantry had concluded and it was time to go racing, I got one whale of a huge surprise.  I had never worn ear protection to any of the races that I had attended while growing up, so why would I need some for this race?  Well, my thinking was totally askew!

Well, have you ever heard what over 36,000 horsepower sounds like up close and very personal?  It is earth shattering, and ground rumbling at the very least.  Pain is the only word that comes to mind!  It was a piecing, ringing, mind numbing, kind of pain!  My ears didn’t recover for two full days, needless to say, the ringing was really hard to deal with for those two days!  It didn’t take long for me to learn my lesson for future trips to the race track!

As the race unfolded, the pain in my ears became more tolerable, the excitement level increased, the cars were unbelievably fast, and the racing was intense.  At the end of the day, I witnessed “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” win one of his many victories at Atlanta on that memorable Sunday afternoon!

It is a Sunday that I will never forget the thrill and excitement of 43 beautifully painted, finely tuned, deafeningly loud, precision racing machines,  accelerating like a bullet toward the waving green flag to start the Atlanta Journal-Constitution 500.  It was the Who’s Who of NASCAR racing doing what they do for 36 Sundays every year, and WOMR was privy to be there that Sunday afternoon!

So the 50th anniversary celebration this weekend is sort of bittersweet.  Although there is a gala type of an atmosphere at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, it was just announced the previous weeks that Atlanta is loosing its Spring race, thus only have the Labor Day weekend race starting in 2011.  So the fastest race track and one of the cornerstones of NASCAR is loosing a piece of its history, and some its clout beginning in 2011.

But for WOMR The Atlanta Motor Speedway will always hold a special place in my heart and in my mind that can never be replaced!

What is your special memories of Atlanta?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON  MY REDNECK!

If the France family is the backbone of NASCAR, then the Petty family was the “lifeline” of the NASCAR.  It was Richard’s father, Lee Petty, that won the very first race staged at the famous Daytona International Speedway in 1959.

But more importantly, it was Richard Petty who became the “poster child” . . . → Read More: Richard Petty #3 Inductee]]>

If the France family is the backbone of NASCAR, then the Petty family was the “lifeline” of the NASCAR.  It was Richard’s father, Lee Petty, that won the very first race staged at the famous Daytona International Speedway in 1959.

But more importantly, it was Richard Petty who became the “poster child” of NASCAR.  It was Richard Petty who charmed the fans.  It was Richard Petty who won race after race, totaling 200 victories in the Grand National/Sprint Cup Series.  It was Richard Petty who won 7 championships.  It was Richard Petty who would sit for hours signing autographs for the fans, never tiring.

It was Richard Petty who set all the standards of NASCAR!

It is Richard Petty who is “The King”!

Long live the King!

Therefore, it is extremely  fitting that “The King” is in the first class of inductees to the NASCAR Hall of Fame!

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo courtesy John Harrelson/Getty Images)

The world of NASCAR has its share of heroes over the past 60+ years.  NASCAR also has its share of heroines, the only thing is they are often unseen, aka the driver’s wives!

None of the wives are more respected than Richard Petty’s wife, Lynda Petty.

Lynda . . . → Read More: If Richard Is The King….?]]>

(photo courtesy John Harrelson/Getty Images)

The world of NASCAR has its share of heroes over the past 60+ years.  NASCAR also has its share of heroines, the only thing is they are often unseen, aka the driver’s wives!

None of the wives are more respected than Richard Petty’s wife, Lynda Petty.

Lynda has been battling lymphoma for several months and recently got some good news. Richard, in a press release, reports that the cancer is in remission; in fact, doctors believe they have completely eliminated the growth.

“She’ll still have to take some treatments from time to time but at least she has got all her faculties back and we’re looking forward to another 50 years with her,” Richard said.

Lynda Petty, like most racing wives, was often the glue that held her famous family together, and it wasn’t always easy. She watched her husband and son survive crash after crash and endured the broken-heart agony that only a parent or grandparent can know when grandson Adam failed to walk away from a wreck at New Hampshire.

Lynda was always there – by gravesides and bedsides – stoic and solid.

Richard tells a humorous story about Lynda when he was trying to decide on retirement:

“I said I’d quit racing when it wasn’t fun any more,” he said, “and about a week later I got caught up in a big wreck and ended up in the hospital. I was laying there all beat up and bruised and bandaged and Lynda walked into the room. She came over beside my bed, stood there lookin’ down at me for a long minute, and finally said, “Well, are we still having fun?’ ”

Stevie Waltrip, Darrell’s wife, once told me that drivers have no idea of what their spouses go through during a race.

“They’re out there on the track, busy and concentrating on driving their cars,” Stevie said. “Meanwhile we wives have to sit there and watch and think about what could happen at any moment. The guys get the excitement, the wives get to worry.”

Richard said it took Lynda’s illness to make him really appreciate her.

For 50 years I’ve been out messing around with a race car, ever since we’ve been married,” he said. “I’ve always said that racing comes first, and if she works real hard she can be No. 2. I finally said (during her battle with cancer), ‘Wait a minute, it’s time to give her my next 50 years.”

So if Richard Petty is the King, shouldn’t Lynda be the Queen?

Remember, we don’t always know what a good thing that we have til it’s gone!

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo courtesy Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

There was a time when race car drivers would do ANYTHING to win a race!  Do the names like Dale Earnhardt, Sr., David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Fireball Roberts, and Junior Johnson ring a bell?   These men were hard charging, blatantly fierce race car drivers. 

Yeah I know . . . → Read More: Competitors Fierce or Friendly?]]>

(photo courtesy Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

There was a time when race car drivers would do ANYTHING to win a race!  Do the names like Dale Earnhardt, Sr., David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Fireball Roberts, and Junior Johnson ring a bell?   These men were hard charging, blatantly fierce race car drivers. 

Yeah I know that was long ago and in a far away place right, kind of like Star Wars?  Wrong!!! That was NASCAR competition, pure and simple!

What is with these so-called team mates being so happy, friendly, wanting to help their team mates score extra points by pulling over and allowing their team mates to lead a lap and pick up 5 bonus points?  What happened to the fierce, macho competitive edge that was once displayed?  Where is the game face of these “steely eyed“, fearless men? 

 Has Corporate America taken control of the one last bastion of fierce, masculine, take-no-prisoners type of independent competition? 

Was too much made out of the competitive beating and banging of team mates, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, after all, they are both four time Sprint Cup champions?  They are supposed to have that “fire in their belly”!  Do you think that Junior Johnson, Cale Yarborough,David Pearson, or Richard Petty would have pulled over and let his team mate lead a lap for some bonus points?  I think NOT!

What is your take on the subject of team mates?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(File photo courtesy of Indy Racing League)

Two of the great families in American auto racing will team up to race in this year’s Indianapolis 500 it was announced Wednesday.

Andretti Autosport of the Indy Racing League, it was revealed, will work in a joint effort with racing legend Richard Petty and . . . → Read More: Andretti And Petty Join Forces For Indy]]>

(File photo courtesy of Indy Racing League)

Two of the great families in American auto racing will team up to race in this year’s Indianapolis 500 it was announced Wednesday.

Andretti Autosport of the Indy Racing League, it was revealed, will work in a joint effort with racing legend Richard Petty and Window World, Inc., to field a fifth IZOD IndyCar Series entry for veteran driver John Andretti, first at Kansas Speedway on Saturday, May 1 and then in the 2010 Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 30.

“I’m excited to be a part of this venture with John, Andretti Autosport and Window World for the Indy 500,” Petty said. “There is so much history around this event, and the Andretti’s have such a rich tradition in racing. I’m looking forward to watching John hit the track in May.”

After his debut run at Kansas, Andretti will attempt to make his 11th Indianapolis 500 start behind the wheel of the No. 43 Team Window World car. A successful qualifying attempt for Andretti on Saturday, May 22 or Sunday, May 23 will deepen the Andretti family legacy at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as he drives for the team owned by his cousin, Michael.

“It would be difficult to script a scenario any better than the one we have here,” John Andretti said. “The relationship I have with Richard, the respect I have for Michael and his team, the partnership I enjoy with Window World and all of it focused on the Indianapolis 500 – it’s really a perfect situation. I can’t wait to get in the car and get to work. May can’t get here soon enough.”

John Andretti will join current drivers Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan and Ryan Hunter-Reay on the Andretti Autosport roster at Kansas and Indy.

So the two dominate names in U.S. automobile racing, Petty and Andretti, have joined forces once again to take on “The Greatest Spectacle in Motor Racing”, the Indianapolis 500 in May!

(Marty Robbin’s Nashville Race Car)

What was once known for her fast, wild, and frisky Saturday nights will soon be just a memory!  The historic Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is closing their doors after this weekend’s race.  That will close the book of one of the most historic and fabled short track in . . . → Read More: She Was Fast And Wild: Soon Just A Memory]]>

(Marty Robbin’s Nashville Race Car)

What was once known for her fast, wild, and frisky Saturday nights will soon be just a memory!  The historic Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is closing their doors after this weekend’s race.  That will close the book of one of the most historic and fabled short track in NASCAR history.

“It will be a sad weekend”, said track president Danny Denson, who operates the Nashville Metro owned facility.  ” You might even see a tear or two”.

The Nashville City Council has decided to “re-develop” the 114 acres that the facility sits on.  That means that they have given up on auto racing, the State Fair, Christmas Village, and other long time entertainments!  Officials claim that these events are not profitable, although Denson and others dispute the claim.  “We do not receive any tax dollars so we can not lose any taxpayer money, which is more that most city owned facilities can claim”, Denson continued.

But still city officials say that the track will shut sown on June 30, 2010.  Denson said that he can not run a half season next year.  With the June 30th deadline still in effect, this weekend’s All-American 400 will be the final race for the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.

The lineup for the final race weekend includes, Ross Kenseth, the 16 year old son of Matt Kenseth.  Additionally included in this race will be Chase Elliott, the 14 year old son of “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” Elliott.

History runs very deep at this fabled racing facility.  Names like Darrell Waltrip, Coo Coo Marlin and his son Sterling Marlin, Bobby Hamilton, Sr. and his son Bobby, Jr., and a country music singer by the name of Marty Robbins, got their career started at this Nashville racetrack.

Up until 1984 NASCAR regularly held Grand National (now Sprint Cup) races at this facility.  All the top level NASCAR race car drivers of yesteryear have raced at Nashville. Names like Richard Petty, David Pearson, Buck and Buddy Baker, Bobby and Donny Allison, Cale Yarborough, Dale Earnhardt, Sr., Rusty Wallace, and Benny Parsons, just to name a few have cut their racing teeth there.

It would appear that no weekly racing program has a richer and more historic tradition than the one at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.

It will be a very sad day when the padlock is put on those gates for the last time!

But long after the facility is leveled, there will be the faintly rich sounds of Marty Robbins singing “Devil Women” and “El Paso” echoing throughout this site!

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!