Making of a Champion, Part II

Just before the end of the 1964 season Bill France announced the banning of the Hemi engine and the Ford 427 High Riser. France was relenting to pressure from Ford concerning the potential dominance of the Hemi. Ironically the Championship for “64” was hotly contested with Petty only winning because he competed in two more events than second place finisher Ned Jarrett. The final point totals are misleading as during that time points were calculated by events entered and miles completed.

France’s decision made little since considering that Chrysler products won 26 out of 61 races in 1964 with Petty winning nine times. The Ford and Mercury teams gave a good accounting and were very fast with great performance taking 35 checkered flags with Ned Jarrett winning 15 times. The untold story is that Petty’s embarrassment of the field at Daytona in February was not taken kindly by Bill France. He would pay for his decision dearly.

Chrysler responded to the Hemi ban by boycotting all Nascar events there by parking Petty and the other Dodge and Plymouth teams. They refused to run approved available engines to make their point. Ford was content with France’s decision knowing that their approved engine would be competitive.

Richard Petty and Petty Enterprises decided to go drag racing in 1965 and were very successful until a child was killed when Richard’s car lost control due to mechanical failure at a race in Dallas Georgia. This tragedy ended Richard’s quarter mile runs forever.

Without the very popular Petty on the track and no Chrysler product’s for fans to root for Bill France and Nascar took a huge hit at the box office and it is likely that the sanctioning body would have become bankrupt during the 1966 season with the loss of so much revenue. Bill France finally relented allowing the Hemi back into competition on July, 25th of 1965.

Richard and Petty Enterprises regrouped to finish the season with four victories. The fans were again going to the races, the track promoters were happy and Chrysler was back in the racing business.





Early in the 1966 Daytona 500 it did not look to be Petty’s day as he lost two laps to the leaders with tire issues. Once the tires woes were corrected Richard easily outran the field taking his second Daytona victory by over a lap with Cale Yarborough finishing second. Bill France must have winced as the electric blue Plymouth streaked under the checkered flag but there were no tears for France as he took a suitcase full of money to the bank after the festivities concluded at Daytona. The fans were back en force with Petty and Chrysler on top again at Daytona.

Richard had a relatively quiet and workman like year winning eight times with a third place finish in the Championship after David Pearson’s great season which included 15 wins and the title driving Cotton Owens Dodge. 1967 would be anything but quiet for Richard Petty.

The 1967 season has been well documented and surely is one for the ages. Why this happened is subject to speculation. What did happen will never be seen again. Richard Petty started the season with blistering the field by over 2 laps at Augusta’s half mile bull ring. At Daytona Petty fell short with a late race engine failure while Mario Andretti shocked the racing world by winning the 500 with a thrilling performance.

Mario’s great Daytona drive would soon be eclipsed by Richard Petty’s incredible season. The competition was showing up thinking about finishing second. An amazing 27 victories turned the racing world on it’s head as Petty ran the gauntlet that included four separate back to back wins, a stretch of three in a row and an eye popping ten victories in a row from August 17th at Winston Salem to October 1st in North Wilkesboro. Richard remarked of his 10 win streak by stating that the other drivers mentally were losing the race before it even started. The lowest finish that Richard recorded while running at the end of an event was 11th at Daytona in July and Petty managed an 8th place at Daytona in February while parked in the garage with a blown engine His other low finishes were due to mechanical failure or accidents. One can only imagine what Richard’s season totals would have been if not for 8 DNF’s. The legend was born with nicknames like the Randleman Rocket, Ole Blue and the King. The later stuck at Richard was on top of the racing world.

The 1966 Plymouth Belvedere was so good that after crashing the car at a short track race damaging the front suspension Richard told his crew to fix it instead of parking. After repairs Petty made up a seven lap deficit to win this event by two laps.

Supposedly nothing changed at Petty Enterprises between the 1966 and “67” seasons as Maurice Petty only re skinned a 1966 Plymouth with 1967 trim and of course fresh engines. When Maurice and Dale Inman were questioned about this huge turn around they only shrugged their shoulders and did not give an answer. Could it be that Petty received a phone call from Auburn Hills Michigan after blasting the field at Daytona in 1966 to Bill France’s chagrin ? Was Chrysler concerned about Nascar’s scrutiny of the Petty powered freight train after embarrassing Bill France’s marquee event two of the last three years ? Or did it all come together just right with great cars and great driving. It did not matter as Richard Petty made a statement that will forever be chiseled into the record books.

Richard Petty’s career up to this point was marked by consistent finishes with flashes of brilliance as he and Petty Enterprises took advantage of their opportunities on the way to becoming the first family of racing. The coming years would see more jewels added to the crown as there was much yet to accomplish.

Making of a Champion, Part I

For many years people of this small town in North Carolina went about their business working farms, raising families and keeping the home fires burning . Sixty years ago the quite solitude of this beautiful countryside would become a little faster paced and a little more noisy. A twelve year old boy was there to experience this change of scenery drinking it all in like a cold Coca a Cola on a hot day.

The sound of an engine at full song was music to his ears and feeling the steering wheel was as comfortable as wearing his Cowboy boots. Many years of winning and defeat, crashing, hard hits and many broken bones have taken a toll on his body but the spirit is still there. In this arena his legend will never be equaled. In this mans realm we have learned what his legacy is.

Richard Lee Petty was born July, 2nd 1937 in Randleman North Carolina. No one knew what was to come but if stars do align creating magic, Richard Petty surely is a magician. So very rare is it to have the torch passed from a blood line to make it burn even brighter and cary the torch through. Richard carried this flame to become a King.

Achieving royal status for Richard was not really about taking checkered flags but about him as a person. Being humble and good natured would soon pay huge dividends. Richard's father Lee also reached the heights of stardom but Lee's way of doing things was not just to give away the throne to his son as an heir. Richard had to earn the mantle with hard work and experience. Richard asked his father to let him drive before the age of 21 but Lee flatly refused telling his son that he needed to mature before driving a race car. Lee Petty's lessons to his son would prove to be unbelievably successful.Soon enough we would see a Royal Flush.

Early in Petty's career he thought to have won a short track race but the finish was protested by of all people, his father. The finish was overturned giving the win to Lee. When Richard questioned his father about this turn of events Lee stated, "We made more money by me winning this race".Lee Petty finally turned the reigns over to Richard shortly after being seriously injured at Daytona in 1960. At Daytona for Speedweek this year it looked as if the Petty's were more into acrobatics than driving on the track as both Lee and Richard flew over the third and fourth turn gaurd rails during seperate qualifying races. Lee was nearly killed and was bed ridden for several months. Richard was much more fortunate suffering only a sprained ankle. Neither competed in the 1961 Daytona 500

Richard learned his lessons well and became a regular winner in the Grand National circuit finishing 2nd to Joe Weatherly for the title during the 1962 and 1963 seasons while racking up 27 victories. 1964 would be a historical and tragic year for racing as Richard began his methodical climb to the top of the mountain.

This year was significant for many reasons. The automobile manufactures had a keen eye on what was happening at Daytona knowing that a win here would result in brand new cars flying out of show rooms across the country. Bigger and stronger engines were needed to accomplish this goal and Chrysler broke through with the introduction of the HEMI engine. Richard Petty was more than happy to bolt in this beast of an engine and let it rip.

Chrysler worked hard to build the HEMI into race trim while not letting the cat out of the bag. The engines arrived at Daytona in a cloud of secrecy as the Plymouth and Dodge race teams installed these monster engines. Once on the race track the Hemi powered cars sand bagged for fear of Ford or Chevy crying foul. Even with the Dodge and Plymouth powered cars not using all of their butterflies they still started up front with the other camps pointing fingers knowing that the jig was up.

For Richard Petty it was time to be a part of history.

Once Richard put his Plymouth on the race track two things happened. The HEMI developed a coolant leak and the car would not turn through Daytona's steep banks. Petty and his crew discovered that the HEMI had a defect in one of the block decks. Petty welded up the deck himself and they were in business. The car not turning would be a difficult nut to crack as his crew chief Dale Inman threw everything at the car to fix it. They finally realised that Richard was sliding out of his seat driving through Daytona's steep banks at speeds never seen before ! Inman took a 2X4 wrapped in a towell and bolted it to the right side of Richard's seat.

When the race started it the rules could not be changed as Nascar was powerless to reign in the HEMI engine. Richard could now drive the car and pour all the gas into his high powered Plymouth. Petty obliterated the competition winning by over one lap. At one point late in the race coming into the pits just to ask his father how he was doing or rather decrease his huge lead.

The 1964 Daytona 500 to this day is considered the greatest field ever for this race having six current or future Nascar champions, nine current or future Daytona 500 winners, three Indianapolis 500 winners and two drivers with Formula One experience. Sadly five drivers who competed in this event would lose their lives before the year was over. Richard Petty would go on to power his way to the championship in 1964 but his title was tempered by the loss two very good friends in Joe Weatherly and Glen "Fireball" Roberts.

Richard Petty's climb was about to get very steep.

to be continued