http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21068.html It is a sign of the times in NASCAR that Petty Enterprises is to close its doors, laying off its remaining staff. The team is the oldest and most successful Cup team in NASCAR, with a history going back 60 years. Founded by the late Lee Petty the team has won 10 NASCAR Cup titles and 268 race victories, and seven-time Cup champion Richard Petty is probably the most famous face the sport has ever had. The team has not won a championship since 1979 but the closure of the operation will be a huge symbolic blow for the sport
sad that the NASCAR community turned their back on the Petty family like this (IF the France family had wanted to, they could have kept them around), but at the end of the day this is a performance business, and PE hasn't performed for years.
Sadly, this has been coming for a long while. Kyle never was a great driver, and he should have focused on running the team a long time ago and left the driving to some up-an-comers. Really, the team lost focus completely with the death of Adam, and has been little more than a Victory Junction fund raising organization for years.
I heard it was more of a merger at this point with GEM, they will run the #43 car with their other 3 cars. A sign of the times for that series, it is hard to believe all of the mergers in the past 6 months. It is even harder to believe that Robby Gordon is still our there as a single car owner/operator, fighting the good fight.
PE wasn't owend by racers, but by an investment company. Their usual sole purpose is to sell at a profit and when not possible, dump at a loss to offset oither gains with no care for historical value.
Those are my thoughts aswell and the loss of a Petty team is a very sad day for NASCAR. I despise what NASCAR has become, Big Bill must be rolling over in his grave, and Bill Jr. should be ashamed of himself but he's super rich so why should he care right - f'ing turd he is if you ask me..
That's a shame. Petty out of NASCAR is like Ferrari out of F1. Ironically, F1 seems to be headed down the same path as NASCAR, making some of the same mistakes, discouraging development and creating what amounts to a spec car series. Jack
Was a sad day when Adam died, but the Victory Junction camp is a blessing that came from it. The Petty's have helped hundreds of children live there dreams and I hope Kyle and Patty continue with it...
+1 very good analogy. most people laugh if you compare F1 and NASCAR, but there are a lot of (negative) structural similarities in the way the series are run.
Had pit passes a few years ago at the Atlanta race. A girl was standing in the pit crying out for Kyle who was already strapped into the car to sign her jacket that had his picture airbrushed on it. Crew chief said "kyle it's go time" to which he replied " bring the jacket over" A pit crew guy carried it over and kyle signed it. You don't see that level of connection to the fans in other sports especially on the field of battle. Sad but like it was said sponsers are there to win not for charity. I'd think kyle would be a better spokesperson/commentator than a driver and hope he steps into those shoes.
there aren't twenty teams left in NASCAR. Roush, Hendrick, Childress, Gibbs....that's really about it.