Petty Enterprises News
#43 |
Bobby Labonte- Driver of the Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge |
#45 |
kyle Petty - Driver of Wells Fargo Dodge |
Updated: 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Multiply sponsors on Petty #43 in 2009: Petty Enterprises chief marketing officer Mike Bartelli says five or six companies will share primary sponsorship and space has been sold for more than half of the 36-race season. Bartelli says though sponsor opportunities remain available on the car, the team (shored up financially from its acquisition by private equity firm Boston Ventures) will field the No. 43 for the full season regardless. "Here you have the most iconic number in the sport's history, and it's not that we're losing deals to others," says Bartelli, who added Petty is substantially far away from cobbling together the millions needed to run its No. 45 Dodge full time in 2009. "It's that deals aren't there. We had a deal done two weeks ago, and the CEO reversed the decision after blessing it and indicated the company was going to make hundreds of millions in cuts." (USA Today)
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Petty Enterprise not merging: One thing not in the cards for Petty Enterprises is a merger with another team, said Petty, who earlier this year sold majority ownership in the team to investment banking firm Boston Ventures. “We’ve talked to everybody about everything that could be talked about and we’re still standing here independent,” Petty said when asked about a possible merger. “We didn’t want to take on anybody else’s baggage. We had enough of our own.” The lack of sponsorship is a major worry, the seven-time Sprint Cup Champion admitted Thursday. “I’m concerned about Richard Petty’s future,” he said. (SpeedTV.com)
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Petty announces three-driver lineup for #45 through August 17th: Petty Enterprises announced its driver lineup for the #45 Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil Dodge through the August 17th Sprint Cup race at the Michigan International Speedway. Chad McCumbee, Kyle Petty and Terry Labonte will each compete in one event over the next three weeks. "Chad, Kyle and Terry will be competing at places where they have all had success in the past," said Petty Enterprises Vice President of Race Operations Robbie Loomis. "That should put the #45 team in the best position possible to gain points on the teams in front of us in owner points. Everyone at Petty Enterprises is committed to doing whatever it takes to get this team back inside the top-35. That is one of our highest priorities as an organization." McCumbee, 23, will attempt to make his first Sprint Cup start of the season this weekend at the Pocono Raceway. He made his first career Sprint Cup start at Pocono in 2007, finishing 25th. McCumbee also picked up an ARCA RE/MAX Series victory at Pocono last year. He currently competes full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series where he is 12th in points. Petty will return to the seat of the #45 Dodge for the August 10 event at Watkins Glen International. This will be the first start for Petty since the Coca-Cola 600 in May. His hiatus included at six-race stint in the TNT Sports booth where he covered the Sprint Cup Series. "We're all excited to see Kyle back in the #45 Marathon Dodge at Watkins Glen," said Loomis. "He has been a great road course racer throughout his career. I know he is looking forward to it as well so we are going up there with a lot of confidence that we will have a solid run." Labonte, who has competed in seven races in the #45 Dodge this season, will make his eighth start at the Michigan International Speedway on August 17th..(Petty Racing PR)
Monday, July 28, 2008
Petty to skip Pocono? Kyle Petty is expected to skip his second straight race next week at Pocono since the end of his deal with TNT, team officials said. "We're still working through a few things," said Robbie Loomis, the vice president of racing operations at Petty Enterprises. The most likely candidate to fill in is Chad McCumbee, who attempted to qualify the car at Texas earlier this year. (ESPN.com)
Friday, July 11, 2008
Sprint to celebrate Richard Petty's 50th anniversary in NASCAR: Sprint will celebrate Richard Petty Day Saturday, July 12 in honor of Petty’s 50th anniversary in NASCAR at the Sprint Experience at Chicagoland Speedway. Other Sprint activities commemorating the anniversary include limited edition Charley 1 Horse hats, executive participation and a unique photo opportunity with 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers. Petty will be at the Sprint Experience, Sprint’s 10,000 square-foot fan destination, for a question-and-answer session at 4:30 p.m. July 12. Petty Enterprises driver Bobby Labonte will visit with fans at 3 p.m. Television personality Larry McReynolds will moderate both sessions. While at the Sprint Experience, fans can sign a car hood, which will be presented to The King at his afternoon appearance. In addition, one fan will receive an autographed Richard Petty Charley 1 Horse hat courtesy of Sprint. Special video about Petty will play throughout the day at the display. Sprint CEO Dan Hesse is among a few special guests who will have the rare opportunity for a ride in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car around Chicagoland Speedway with Petty, who has not driven a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car since Nov. 15, 1992 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. NASCAR and Sprint also will coordinate a special photo opportunity at the pre-race stage at 6:25 p.m. The 43 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers starting the LifeLock.com 400 will wear Petty’s signature Charley 1 Horse hats as a salute to the legend. Petty’s NASCAR debut took place in 1958 at Columbia Speedway in South Carolina. (Sprint PR)
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Reutimann to the #45 Petty car? Look for David Reutimann to be announced soon as the replacement for Kyle Petty in the #45 car, something the Petty folks would rather we not know about just yet. (Yahoo! Sports)
June 12, 2007
Andretti returns to race the #45 at Michigan: This weekend, John Andretti returns to the wheel of a Petty Enterprises Dodge. Andretti will fill in for Kyle Petty in the No. 45 Dodge for this Sunday's Citizens Bank 400. Petty will once again be in the TNT booth for Sunday's event. "I was the one that did the pursuing to race again for Petty Enterprises," Andretti said. "I went and spoke with Robbie Loomis and then I went and I asked Kyle. It seemed as quick as I asked him we were able to work on putting this together. You are never quite sure what the answer will be, but I wanted to be a part of this." Andretti makes his return to Petty Enterprises after driving in this year's Indianapolis 500. He will be the only competitor in Sunday's race that raced in this year's event. Michigan is a familiar track to Andretti. He has 19 career starts at the track and 11 of them with Petty Enterprises. Andretti has five top-10 and one top-five finish in Nextel Cup competition at the track. "It's ironic that I'm coming back at Michigan," Andretti said. "It's where my career started with Petty Enterprises. It was the second Michigan race and we qualified outside the front row. I'm looking forward to going there. I'm going to work with Bobby Labonte, closer with Kyle Petty and his team, and in a way it will be a lot of the same, but totally different too." (Petty Enterprise PR)
July 2, 2006
Petty unveils new Dodge Challenger: Seven-time Cup champion Richard Petty and series regular Kasey Kahne joined Chrysler executives to unveil the 2008 Dodge Challenger production car Saturday afternoon. The Challenger is scheduled to return after a nearly 35-year hiatus as a two-door coupe featuring the long hood, short deck and wide stance reminiscent of its Pony/Muscle Car heritage from the 1970s. "If you were a '70s Challenger fan, you can look at it and see the new Challenger in it," said Petty, who scored the majority of his record 200 Cup victories in MoPar products. (Star-Telegram)
June 14, 2006:
Petty looking for race sponsor: Petty Enterprises continues to look for sponsorship of Kyle Petty's car for races at Chicago, New Hampshire, Phoenix and Homestead. (Times-Dispatch)
June 12, 2006:
New Spotter for Labonte: Eddie d’Hondt, recently released as general manager at Robert Yates Racing, has landed at Petty Enterprisers, where he is working as a spotter for #43-Bobby Labonte. (SpeedTV)
June 2, 2006:
Petty doesn't agree with father's opinion: Kyle Petty made it clear he doesn't agree with his father's opinion on women in racing. Last week, Richard Petty said women don't belong in the sport. Kyle tried to explain his father's view. "First, you have to understand that my dad was born in the South in 1937," Kyle said on Fox radio. "And people almost 70 don't see the world like people 25 or 35. They don't always understand things have changed, and the change is for the better." (Dallas Morning News)
May 27, 2006;
B. Labonte and Petty on Cereal Box: Bobby Labonte, driver of Petty Enterprises’ No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge, will soon be racing into Supermarkets throughout the country on limited-edition boxes of Cheerios® and Honey Nut Cheerios®. Labonte, the 2000 Cup Champion, unveiled the new packages today at an event at Speed Street, the annual racing festival in Charlotte. Specially marked 15-ounce Cheerios packages welcome Labonte and his family to the Cheerios Racing Family. Specially marked 20-ounce Honey Nut Cheerios packages feature Labonte and “The King” Richard Petty, who drove the No. 43 to 200 wins during his career. “This is a unique honor, not only for me, but for our whole family. It will be fun to see ourselves on the breakfast table every morning,” said Labonte, posting one top-five and three top-ten finishes through the first ten races of the season. “It is also an honor to appear on the package with The King. His racing records are legendary and I’m privileged to drive the famed No. 43 for Petty Enterprises.” For more information about Cheerios Racing, visit cheerios.com/racing. (Elevation Motorsports Group PR)
May 26, 2006;
Petty's opinion hasn't changed in 30 years: Richard Petty didn't think women belonged on the race track when Janet Guthrie became the first female driver to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 in 1976. Thirty years later, his opinion hasn't changed. "I just don't think it's a sport for women," Petty said in an interview with The Associated Press. "And so far, it's proved out. It's really not. It's good for them to come in. It gives us a lot of publicity, it gives them publicity. "But as far as being a real true racer, making a living out of it, it's kind of tough." Petty, a seven-time champion and NASCAR's all-time winningest driver, was one of the many people who gave Guthrie a cool reception when she came to Lowe's Motor Speedway for her first NASCAR event. Guthrie had failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 when track officials persuaded her to come to North Carolina and try to make their race, then known as the World 600. In her book, "Janet Guthrie A Life at Full Throttle," that was released last year, Guthrie recounted the icy reception she received from other drivers when she came to Lowe's for the '76 race. "When I shook hands with Richard Petty I thought I'd get frostbite," Guthrie wrote. "Later, he would be quoted as saying of me: 'She's no lady. If she was she'd be at home. There's a lot of differences in being a lady and being a woman.'" (AP/Salem-Journal)
May 16, 2006:
Petty Enterprise still looking for sponsors for select races: The #45 Dodge driven by Kyle Petty has announced sponsorship opportunities for selected races remaining in 2006. The up-coming months offer one-of-a-kind opportunities to be a part of the resurging Petty Enterprises organization. "We have some races that are open throughout the rest of the season", said Petty. "We were left to fill a void a few weeks ago when a sponsorship deal for us didn't pan out. It was supposed to be about a nine-race deal. That left us to fill some holes, but fortunately those holes are great opportunities for companies to capitalize on." Races include the Brickyard 400 at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, the Sharpie 500 at Bristol and the season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami. Other races include events in major markets such as Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Richmond. "We are now looking for another new partner to join the Petty family. We are working hard to do that for this season. We feel that we offer something different at Petty Enterprises. We are looking for a partner that wants to be a part of the excitement that we're building," said Petty. The team will next participate in this weekend's All-Star activities at the Lowe's Motor Speedway. In fact, Petty's sponsors have put up $250,000 to be donated to Victory Junction Gang Camp if Petty is voted into the All-Star race by the fans. Go to votekylepetty.com for details. (Moore Consulting Group/Petty Racing)
April 29, 2006:
Petty needs 6-8 race sponsor: Petty Enterprises is seeking sponsorship for six to eight Cup races for Kyle Petty's No. 45 Dodge after a contract with a prospective company fell apart this week. "It comes at a bad time because we've seemed to be getting up off the bottom," said Petty, whose teammate, Bobby Labonte, notched consecutive top-10 finishes at Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix. Petty, who also serves as the team's CEO, said the team would foot the bill if a sponsor wasn't found but was optimistic about the money hunt. "We're not panicking, but we are concerned," he said. "The market is really good right now, and there's tons of interest." (USA Today)
April 18, 2006:
Petty's visit Orange County Choppers: King Richard, son Kyle, and grandson Austin Petty made the trip to Montgomery to OC Choppers shop, find out what charity will benefit from the Petty visit: (Record-Online)
April 3, 2006:
Petty/STP Classic Paint Scheme: On Friday, April 7, 2006 around 2 p.m. at the Texas Motor Speedway, Richard Petty and Bobby Labonte will unveil a special No. 43 retro paint scheme that pays tribute to STP -- one of the longest running sponsors in the history of stockcar racing. The retro ride will race in the Aaron’s 499 in Talladega at the end of April. Petty and Labonte will also discuss future plans concerning the historic partnership of Petty Enterprises and STP and make a special announcement regarding STP donation to Victory Junction Gang Camp. The Victory Junction Gang was founded in memory of Richard’s grandson, Adam Petty, and is designed to enrich the lives of children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses. (Ketchum Sports Network PR)
March 11, 2006:
Petty Movie: The Disney-backed movie on Richard Petty is on again and filming could start this fall or spring 2007, says Bill Scott with Petty Enterprises. The movie was to be filmed in either 2004 or 2005, but the script was rejected. Scott says the script has been rewritten and that actor Dennis Quaid is scheduled to play Lee Petty. (Greensboro News-Record)
Feb. 22, 2006:
Petty teams up with VA: The Department of Veterans Affairs and Richard Petty are revving up to recruit volunteers at VA hospitals. VA recently named Petty, one of NASCAR’s top drivers, chairman of the 2006 National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans. Petty will make public service announcements encouraging the general public to volunteer at VA facilities and will serve as the national spokesman for the more than 140,000 volunteers who serve veterans at 154 VA hospitals, more than 850 outpatient clinics and 143 nursing homes throughout the country. “It’s an honor to have such a champion join VA in saluting the men and women who have worn our country’s uniform,” said VA Secretary R. James Nicholson. “Richard has shown that he shares our commitment to veterans through his efforts to raise awareness of VA and the veterans we serve.” Petty is also excited about his role as chairman. “I am very proud of the titles I have earned. However, the honorary title I have been given this year as chairman of the VA National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans Program is one I accept with great humility and pride,” said Petty. For more information about volunteering at VA facilities go to http://www1.va.gov/volunteer.
Feb. 19, 2006:
B. Labonte in Intrepid for Cali. race: Bobby Labonte will drive the 2004 Dodge Intrepid instead of the Charger in next week's Nextel Cup race at California. "Bobby came straight out of the Chevy into the Dodge camp,'' said Labonte's teammate/owner Kyle Petty. "He's not run a downforce Dodge car. So he's going to give us an honest assessment of where the Intrepid is compared to where the Monte Carlo is. "For us, we feel it's a great opportunity for us to be able to use a driver of his caliber and say this is what it is.'' The Charger has been the topic of controversy since it was re-introduced to NASCAR last season. Dodge owners contend the nose creates an aerodynamic disadvantage on intermediate tracks such as California. (NASCAR.com)
Feb. 17, 2006:
TBC brands joins as associate and primary sponsors for Petty: The names of TBC Corp.'s Tire Kingdom, Merchant's Tire & Auto Centers and National Tire & Battery properties will appear on NASCAR driver Kyle Petty's #45 Dodge at various races this year. "We believe that involvement with NASCAR is a natural progression in our marketing efforts," says Bob Crostarosa, TBC's vice president of marketing. "TBC (has) reached an agreement with the Petty race team that presents the Tire Kingdom brand as the primary sponsor of the car driven by Kyle Petty for the Darlington, S.C., race on May 13, and for the Lowe’s Motor Speedway Race in Charlotte, N.C., on Oct. 14," say TBC officials. "The car will carry the Merchant’s Tire & Auto Centers logo for the Richmond race on May 6 and the National Tire & Battery logo in Atlanta on March 19. Additionally, the three brands will be identified as associate sponsors throughout 2006 for all other Nextel Cup races." (moderntiredealer.com)
Feb. 15, 2006:
Petty fined $45,000 in 2004 by Dodge: Dodge fined {Kyle] Petty $45,000 when the veteran relieved Harvick in the Sharpie 500 at Bristol in August 2004. Harvick complained that he had lost feeling in his left arm and Petty, a Dodge driver, took over for Harvick in the RCR Chevrolet. Petty, whose car was already out of the race, did not have permission from Dodge to drive the Chevy, and Dodge promptly fined him for breaching their contract. Dodge didn't announce the fine, but it was revealed in depositions released during their recently completed trial involving Bill Davis Racing. "Initially it was a shock just because that's just a given in the sport - if a driver is down, everybody rallies and tries to help him out," Petty said Feb. 11. "Kevin was sick; Kevin felt bad, so I drove the car. When I got a phone call and a legal letter that said I owed them $45,000, that was a little bit of a shock. But at the same time, they were exactly right. I have a contract to drive for Dodge." Dodge Motorsports Director of Operations John Fernandez said Feb. 10 that he believed Petty's violation of their contract was inadvertent but that the manufacturer must protect the sanctity of its contracts. (NASCAR Scene Daily)
Feb. 8, 2006:
Schwans sponsors #45 Petty car: Schwan’s Home Service, Inc., a business unit of The Schwan Food Company, has announced its sponsorship of the #45 stock car owned by Petty Enterprises for the 2006 Nextel Cup season. “Everyone at The Schwan Food Company is thrilled to join the Petty racing team for the 2006 season. The team operates under the same values that are important to Schwan,” said Bill McCormack, executive vice president of administration and company spokesperson. The #45 car, driven by NASCAR veteran Kyle Petty, will carry the Schwan’s Home Service yellow-and-blue paint scheme for four races, which will be announced at a later date. Home Service will provide an associate sponsorship for the remaining races. “I’ve raced off and on against a Schwan sponsored car since 1985 and am really excited to finally be able to have them on my team,” said Petty, Petty Enterprises CEO (and #45 team driver). “The best part of this deal is my guys won’t have as far to go to get the great Schwan’s ice cream at the track. They are already clearing space on the transporter to haul the ice cream cooler.” (GoMarshall)
Jan. 17, 2006:
Labonte outbids McMurray for hat: Eddie Montgomery has always been a NASCAR fan. What he didn't know until last weekend is that one of the drivers he admires, Bobby Labonte, is also a huge Montgomery Gentry fan. But once Labonte paid $12,000 at a charity auction for the hat Montgomery wore during his group's concert at Sprint Sound and Speed - A Celebration of Music and Motorsports - in Nashville, Tenn., Montgomery knew he had a fan. "It freaked me out. I couldn't see who was bidding, but later I found out it was him and (NASCAR driver) Jamie McMurray bidding against each other," Montgomery said. Montgomery wasn't sure what to expect when another driver, Owensboro native Michael Waltrip, came and took his hat to put in the auction to benefit a camp for children with chronic medical conditions and the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum. (Advocate Messenger)
Jan. 16, 2006:
Parrott to return after illness: Petty Enterprises competition director Greg Steadman stepped back into his previous role as crew chief for Bobby Labonte last week at Daytona testing because new chief Todd Parrott was recovering from a bacterial infection in a Huntersville, NC, hospital. Parrott was expected to return to Petty Enterprises this week. The #43 team is scheduled to test for Goodyear at Texas Motor Speedway later this month and also will test its intermediate program starting January 30 at Las Vegas. Executive vice president of racing operations Robbie Loomis says Petty's immediate goal is to "focus on the moment" and build confidence among the teams. (Sporting News)
Jan. 9, 2006:
Petty Family sad news: Elizabeth Toomes Petty, wife of NASCAR champion Lee Petty and mother of NASCAR champion Richard Petty, passed away Sunday morning at age 88. She is survived by sons Richard and Maurice, as well as nine grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren, one great great grandchild, two sisters and two brothers. Funeral services are to be held privately. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations by made to Level Cross United Methodist Church, Victory Junction Gang Camp or to Hospice of Randolph County. (Williams Company)
K. Petty runs Marathon: Kyle Petty finished the Walt Disney World Marathon in 4 hours 42 minutes. He laughed when asked if he thought about ``going behind the wall.'' Petty said his knee began to bother him a lot around Mile 15. ''I walked a bunch so I wouldn't hurt it,'' he said. ``This is not what I do for a living. I do drive race cars, so I don't need to blow my knee out doing this. But it was a lot of fun. And the fans here are great, lining the course. Then you feel bad for walking, man.'' Some of the competitors recognized Petty and talked to him along the way. Petty said next year he might try to get in good enough shape to run Disney and the Miami Marathon, which is at the end of January. Petty was talked into running his first marathon by fellow NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip. They ran the Las Vegas Marathon last year. Petty finished in 4:14. (Miami Herald)
Dec. 21, 2005:
Parrott and Labonte test at Kentucky: Crew chief Todd Parrott and driver Bobby Labonte ushered in a new era for the storied Petty Enterprises No. 43 NEXTEL Cup Series car with a test at Kentucky Speedway today. Labonte, the 2000 series champion who finished 24th in the 2005 standings with Joe Gibbs Racing, and Parrott, who helped Dale Jarrett win the 1999 series title with Robert Yates Racing, will join new Exec. VP of Operations Robbie Loomis, who guided Jeff Gordon to 23 wins and the 2001 championship with Hendrick Motorsports, in an attempt to rejuvenate a Petty program that hasn't scored a series race win since Loomis last worked there in 1999. Temperatures in the low to mid 20s didn't curb the enthusiasm both crew chief and driver expressed for their new project during their first test together. The new team agreed that the focus of the one-day test was to begin to establish solid team communications. "It's different," Labonte said. "I was kind of jittery at first because it's been 11 years since I've had anything like this go on. It's a little too cold here for me, but, so far, so good. "I'm just real excited to work with Todd and all these guys. Hopefully, I understand Todd and when I talk, he can understand the language I'm talking. For us, today is about getting a feel for everybody and everybody getting a feel for Todd. He's the main character here that everyone will have to look up to. When I'm on the racetrack, they've got to know what to do next and he's the guy leading them." Parrott was encouraged by his team's early results. "Not to say that we're not looking for great success right off the bat, but I'm throwing things at him, he's feeling it and that's good. Just from some things he's said this morning, I think it's going to be a great year." Both veterans also spoke about the reasons behind their respective moves to Petty Enterprises. "I just thought that I needed something different at Gibbs," Labonte said. "Those people treated me great and I had a great time there, but I felt like a change was needed. The Petty operation is very similar in that the people are real sincere. I felt like I could fit in here, kind of like when I went to Gibbs. I had some other opportunities, and they were awesome, but this is the No. 43. When I put my heart to it in terms of my family and myself, I felt like this was the place I'd like to be. "Robbie was the first domino that fell into place here and that attracted me because I know his leadership will be a plus. Then, we were able to get Todd. What a no-brainer that was. I guess it goes to show you that the Pettys weren't happy with just sitting there after the way they've run the past couple years." (Kentucky Speedway PR)
Petty Driving Experience at Iowa Track: The Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE) has just announced they will be visiting the brand new Iowa Speedway next summer. The visit will mark the first time RPDE has been to Iowa and the first time a driving program has been offered at the new facility. The inaugural visit to Iowa Speedway will take place August 10th and run through August 13th, as students get the opportunity to challenge the 12-14 degree banking on this brand new 7/8-mile tri-oval layout. Participants can ride-along with professional drivers making a 3 lap mock qualifying run and/or drive themselves around the speedway in 3 different programs to be offered; the 8 lap Rookie Experience, the 18 lap Kings Experience and a 30 lap Experience of a Lifetime program. "We are really excited about bringing our programs to that part of the country", says seven-time NASCAR Champion Richard Petty, who hopes to be on hand as well for the debut. "The sport continues to grow so fast out in middle-America and I think the fans are hungry to see what it feels like to be behind the wheel of a real stock car." Costs will range from the $99 Ride-Along up to the $1,249 Experience of a Lifetime. Richard Petty Driving Experience, headquartered Concord, N.C., will operate more than 1,100 track days at more than 20 locations nationwide in 2005, including permanent locations at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Walt Disney World Speedway(R), Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte and Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Il. For more information, call 1-800-BE-PETTY or visit our web site at www.1800bepetty.com. Iowa Speedway, located in Newton, Iowa, will be home to four different racing events in 2006 including a Hooters Pro Cup Series and USAC Silver Crown/Sprint Car Series race on September 15 and an ASA Late Model Series and ARCA RE/MAX Series Race on October 15. For more information goto www.iowaspeedway.com.
Dec. 20, 2005:
Petty at Disney: NASCAR driver Kyle Petty and Herbie introduce Disney-MGM Studios' Lights! Motors! Action! Extreme Stunt Show attraction when Walt Disney World Resort in Florida invites America to celebrate its 22nd annual Christmas Day Parade telecast from the heart of the Magic Kingdom, with special performances from the Disneyland Resort in California. Ryan Seacrest, will host the festivities from Disneyland Resort while Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa, hosts of "Live with Regis and Kelly," co-host in Walt Disney World. The Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade telecast airs on ABC Christmas Day from 10:00am/et to 12:00noon/et. Viewers should check their local listings for any changes in programming times. (Williams Company)
Dec.. 7, 2005:
Parrott named Bobby Labonte's Crew Chief: Nextel Cup Series champion Todd Parrott has been named crew chief for the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge team and driver Bobby Labonte. Robbie Loomis, Executive Vice President of Operations and a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion himself, made the announcement. "While few can match him in knowledge and strategy, no one can match Todd Parrott when it comes to the desire to win," Loomis said. "Working together with Paul Andrews (crew chief for Kyle Petty's #45 Dodge and a former NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion) and the talent we have here, we feel we have the ingredients to return Petty Enterprises to victory lane." Greg Steadman, who had been serving as crew chief for the #43, has been named Competition Director for Petty Enterprises and is involved with both race teams. "I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to be a part of Petty Enterprises," Parrott said. "I've been a fan of Richard Petty since I could talk, and one of the most exciting times of my life is when my dad (Buddy Parrott) was crew chief for Richard. When I see the people who are coming into the organization and how hard everyone is working to get Petty Enterprises back to the top, I can't help but be excited to be a part of that," Parrott continued. "Robbie Loomis, Bobby Labonte . . . these guys are coming here for one reason, and that's to win." Parrott, 41, is a native of Charlotte, N.C. Winner of the 1999 NASCAR Nextel Cup championship with driver Dale Jarrett, Parrott begins his 12th year as a leader of NASCAR race teams in 2006. He grew up in the sport and began working on race cars when just 14 years old, developing into one of the top mechanical and strategy-minded names in motorsports. (Williams Company PR)
Dec. 1, 2005:
Petty to leaves NSL: Richard Petty Driving Experience announced that it has withdrawn its support of the National SprintCar League effective immediately. "We formed this series with the intention of rebuilding and growing winged sprint car racing," said Kyle Petty. "We had a clear vision about how to undertake this. Unfortunately, our vision for the future of sprint car racing was not shared by all of the key stakeholders in the sport. We believe that a prolonged battle over control of the sport is not in the best interest of anyone involved. Hopefully, by stepping aside at this point, there is time for a common vision to emerge. We still believe that sprint car racing can thrive in the United States and we hope that the tracks, drivers, teams and sanctioning bodies will put their individual interests aside and work towards some common ground to unify this great motor sports platform. We appreciate everyone who supported us in this endeavor." (Williams Company PR)
Nov. 22, 2005:
Kyle Petty Nominated SI Sportsman Of Year: Kyle Petty has become the first stock car driver nominated for one of the most prestigious honors in athletics. The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver is up for Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsman Of The Year” honor, which the national magazine has awarded since miler Roger Bannister won the first in 1955. Others such as the Boston Red Sox, Tiger Woods, Arthur Ashe, Jack Nicklaus, Muhammad Ali and Pete Rozelle have won it. Others nominated this year include cyclist Lance Armstrong, NBA star Reggie Miller, and World Series star Scott Posednik, among others. Writer Lars Anderson, in making his argument in nominating Petty, noted mostly his and wife Pattie’s leadership of the Victory Junction Gang Camp. “Put simply,” Anderson wrote, “he’s got the biggest heart in American sports today. “Kyle Petty as Sportsman of the Year? Take a look at those beaming kids and tell me he’s not.” The winner will be announced next month. (Williams Co., Of America, Inc.)
Nov. 12, 2005:
Ellen takes a ride in Petty driving experience: Talk Show Host Ellen DeGeneres took to the speedway in southern California to quell her need for speed and to see what NASCAR is all about. DeGeneres, host of the popular daytime TV talk show, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show", was a recent guest of Richard Petty Driving Experience at California Speedway and had the opportunity to ride in and drive an actual NASCAR style stock car. "It was thrilling! I haven't been on a roller-coaster or anything like this for years," said DeGeneres. "So with this kind of excitement, I was like a kid in there. I think we have the traffic problem in Los Angeles solved, though. I had clear sailing all day and only saw one other car out there the whole time." Her visit to the speedway came as a surprise to the other guests there on Friday. Other participants were told of an impending guest but voted to have it kept a secret until the last second. "We were really excited to see her come through the door," said Brent Swain, a first-timer from Coronado, CA. "She had us cracking up the whole time and made the day truly memorable. It's not everyday you get to live out your own dream and do it alongside a celebrity like Ellen." "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" is nationally syndicated throughout the country and the episode featuring Ellen at Richard Petty Driving Experience will air on Monday, November 14, 2006. Check local listings for exact times or visit www.ellentv.com for additional tune-in information. (Williams Company PR)
Nov. 11, 2005:
Official: B. Labonte to Petty: Bobby Labonte, 2000 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion, will drive the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge beginning with the 2006 season, it was announced this morning by Robbie Loomis, Executive Vice President of Operations, Petty Enterprises. Labonte, 41, joins Petty Enterprises from Joe Gibbs Racing where he won 21 Cup races and the 2000 NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship during his 10-year stretch with the team. He will be a teammate to Kyle Petty, and will also work first-hand with Loomis, who is rejoining the organization after a successful championship-winning stint at Hendrick Motorsports. "Winning in our sport is a learned process," said Loomis. "The heritage of Petty Enterprises, coupled with a talented, successful driver like Bobby Labonte, will lead to some great things. There's a lot of work to be done, but we have some tremendous tools here and we're excited about the future." "We're bringing some serious firepower to the #43 Cheerios Dodge next year and I am excited about having Bobby Labonte as a teammate," Kyle Petty said. "Bobby knows how to win races and how to win championships, as does Robbie Loomis." "I'm really pleased to be part of Petty Enterprises," Labonte said. "When I first came into this sport, my heroes were Terry Labonte and Richard Petty. To have the opportunity to drive Richard Petty's #43 car is something I could not have imagined growing up. The #43 knows its way to victory lane, and we'll get it back there. I am looking forward to working with Robbie, Kyle, The King and the entire Petty team. And, I'm excited about working with households names like Cheerios and Betty Crocker, along with the entire General Mills team. I had a great run at Joe Gibbs Racing, and have the utmost respect for that organization and appreciate all they did for me. I am fortunate to be going to another high quality organization in Petty Enterprises," Labonte said. "Just like Cheerios and Betty Crocker, Bobby Labonte is committed to winning, to family and to community," added General Mills Vice President Laurie Greeno. "We at General Mills are thrilled to have Bobby join the #43 team." (Williams Company)
B. Labonte to 43: On Friday, November 10th at Phoenix International Raceway, Petty Enterprises will announce that Nextel Cup champion, Bobby Labonte, will drive the #43 Cheerios / Betty Crocker Dodge in 2006. Labonte won the NEXTEL Cup championship in 2000 driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, has 21 career NEXTEL Cup victories and claimed the NASCAR Busch Series Championship in 1991. Labonte started racing quarter midgets at the age of five in his hometown of Corpus Christi, TX. His brother is NASCAR champion Terry Labonte.
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