Kyle Petty says he's in for Phoenix; after that not sure

By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Saturday, October 11, 2008
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Kyle Petty is not certain of his future plans.

Chris Graythen
Getty Images

CONCORD, N.C. – Kyle Petty said that he will drive at Phoenix International Raceway later this year, but then he is still unsure of how many NASCAR Sprint Cup races he will enter in 2009.
 
Petty did say whatever races he does drive, he will compete under the Petty Enterprises banner. Bobby Labonte is signed to return to Petty Enterprises and Chad McCumbee is being looked at for the car where Kyle Petty is currently the primary driver.
 
“I don’t have anything going right now for next year,” Petty said Saturday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “We’d like to run five races, 10 races, 15 races, whatever we can run.
 
“It really depends on what you get financially. We feel like we’ve got some good leads for the 43 and pretty confident that Marathon and everybody will be here for Chad [McCumbee]. I’m not going to go somewhere else. I’ve always said if I run Cup stuff, I [will come] back here and I don’t want to go anywhere else. I’m too old to learn new tricks.”
 
Petty has competed in only 14 races this year, missing several for TV and other commitments. Boston Ventures bought a majority interest in Petty Enterprises this year and its leadership has indicated it wants to improve performance and look at younger drivers.
 
Petty Enterprises CEO David Zucker indicated that the team would have two primary drivers next year – and Kyle Petty, who already has a six-race commitment to TNT, wouldn’t be one of them.
 
“We’re really focused on two cars for next year and look to grow from there,” Zucker said. “We’re still talking to Kyle on some kind of limited schedule depending on sponsorship. But he’s not going to be a primary driver in a car for us next year.
 
“We want to get back in the top 10. We want to be in the Chase next year.”
 
Petty likely would continue to drive the 45, which was the number of Petty’s son, Adam, who was killed during Nationwide Series practice eight years ago at New Hampshire. Michael Waltrip Racing Executive Vice President Cal Wells indicated that MWR will return the 44 to Petty Enterprises for its use next year.
 
Petty said any perception of a rift between him and the Boston Ventures people is not necessarily accurate.
 
“I can’t say we’ve always seen eye to eye, but they’re a good group,” said Petty, who is also considering driving some races in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. “And I would have to say that’s probably more me being a horse’s rear end than them being a horse’s rear end.
 
“You get so used to doing things the way you do them that when things change and someone wants to do them different … it doesn’t mean the way they do it is wrong.”

Comments

6 responses to "Kyle Petty says he's in for Phoenix; after that not sure ". Post a Comment.
  1. 1
    Tom Jones said:
    Oct 11, 2008 at 11:36 PM

    Kyle is over the hill.I can see where he could test and maybe run a few races for this operation(R&D stuff) and be a lot of help to them. He isn't going to win races in this series anymore but may be a winner in the Nationwide or Truck series if he wanted to run there full time. He could help them build teams and train young drivers.

  2. 2
    Andrew Briscoe said:
    Oct 12, 2008 at 2:15 PM

    With Petty Enterprises getting the #44 back, Kyle could very easily just help them with starting a third team part time. He's got Wells Fargo backing him wherever he goes (12 or 14 races of sponsorship), and he could still drive the #45. That would give PE the ability to put Chad McCumbee in the #44, and Bobby in the #43. The only real issue they have to fix now is the fact that they've got little to no sponsors for next year, and the #45 is out of the Top 35 in owners points.

  3. 3
    Scott Hall said:
    Oct 12, 2008 at 2:39 PM

    Nice article. I guess this puts alot of the rumor, speculation, and inaccurate trash reporting to rest. Good luck to PE and Kyle this year and beyond. PE and Kyle fan for life.

    Scott
    Eden NC

  4. 4
    Dan Dugger said:
    Oct 13, 2008 at 9:37 AM

    There has always been a Petty on the racetrack since NASCAR began. I understand that Kyle has other interests, but I can't see why he wouldn't want to drive 10-15 races in the 45 car sponsored by Wells Fargo, if he indeed has the sponsorship available to him. Kyle Petty can still drive a race car, but Petty Enterprises isn't putting out good equipment and even the best drivers can't carry a bad racecar. If there were true, Bobby LaLonde would be doing better! Kyle is a phenomenal person and should be allowed to ease out of the driver’s seat on his on time schedule. I just wonder if he will still be part of Petty Enterprises or if he’ll be put out to pasture all together. I thought Boston Ventures appreciated the Petty name and legacy, but after reading this article and the interview with Patty Petty, seems like they don’t. I guess Petty Enterprises as we knew it is gone and will never return to the Glory days of yester year. What a same that another part of NASCAR history is fading away.
    Just my 2 cents.

  5. 5
    Sharon Jarrell said:
    Oct 13, 2008 at 9:27 PM

    I am a Kyle Petty fan and have been for years. If a Petty isn't in a Petty Inc. car I will stop being a Petty fan, I will always be a Kyle Petty fan and he deserves to be treated better by Petty Inc. I am really disappointed by Richard Petty for not standing behind his son. KYLE PETTY CAN STILL DRIVE IF GIVEN A DECENT CAR.

  6. 6
    John Roche said:
    Oct 16, 2008 at 8:32 PM

    Kyle and Patty Petty are probably the best, most saintly people on earth today. Look at what they've been through and all they do is give love to strangers through the things they do. They deserve much better than Petty Enterprises and Boston Ventures!

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