Former Sprint Cup driver Kyle Petty made some interesting comments last weekend at Daytona that were somewhat swept under the rug.Of course, the factors of the race being the biggest on the circuit and the controversy that followed will often do that news stories of smaller value.
However, Petty's words indicated that there was obviously a healthy dose of tension between him and the rest of the leaders at the now-former Petty Enterprises -- including his father, Richard -- thanks to the business moves the team has made in the past year.
Going back to last year, PE inked a deal with an outside investment firm -- Boston Ventures -- in an attempt to bring the struggling race team to a higher level of competitiveness with an infusion of cash and a more marketable product to sponsor on the track.
That didn't exactly go over well with Kyle, and he made that point clear during a press conference announcing a celebrity golf tournament in Phoenix that benefits his Victory Junction Gang Camp charity.
"There is no Petty Enterprises," said Petty. "There's Richard Petty Motorsports or whatever they want to call it. Petty Enterprises ceased to exist when it left Level Cross, North Carolina. It further ceased to exist whenever the other group bought it. That's just a fact of life."
That other group -- Boston Ventures -- didn't make significant headway in its efforts which led Petty Enterprises to a merger with Gillett-Evernham Motorsports. It has since taken on the Richard Petty Motorsports moniker, and has left Kyle out.
Things didn't get better when RPM rolled out a new No. 44 for A.J. Allmendinger painted up like the car Kyle used to win his first career race in 1978 during an ARCA event at Daytona.
"They did not ask me about the paint scheme," he said. "That was my paint job and my car and my number and my stuff for my first win - not for Petty Enterprises or GEM or whoever that is. They can look at it how they want to, but I didn't even get a call and that's worse."
Tuesday, his father Richard talked a little bit about the disconnect his son has felt from the new Petty interest in NASCAR during a conference call.
"It kind of upset him," said Richard, discussing the scheme. "That's where he started. He started with the 44 car. The deal with Boston Ventures, we never had a place for Kyle at Petty Enterprises. He sort of got out of the loop.
"He's been doing things on his own. I've not seen him since Christmas. He's been so busy, and I've been so busy. We never really got together."
For his part, Richard apologized for the way things went down involving his son.
"[...] He was really crushed that we didn't include him in that part of it," said Richard. "I understand that. We were so busy getting the deal done it fell through the cracks, and I'm sorry that it did."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-21-2009 @ 12:00AM
CJ said...
Im sick of hearing this babbling idiot piss and moan about why he doesnt have a ride! Here's a hint, YOU SUX AS A DRIVER KYLE PETTY! I have no sympathy for Kyle as he was in charge of Petty Enterprises and he drove it straight into the ground. He should've been out of the car long ago, but continued to embarass himself each weekend and i am so thankful that he finally missed races so the Petty name wouldnt be embarassed anymore. I truely believe that if Adam Petty couldnt be the savior for Petty Enterprises, then Kyle was going to run it in the ground, which he succeeded in doing. I think Richard finally did the right thing and you dont see anyone else offering Kyle a ride for a reason. I hate what happen to Adam and would've loved to have seen what he could've done, and Victory Junction is a great charity, but that's not an excuse to stay in that race car when they could've been trying to get maybe Carl Edwards or Jimmie Johnson long ago. Im glad what happen to Kyle and he got what he deserved, and if name hadnt been on the side of the building, he would've been fired years ago! QUIT CRYING KYLE, YOU DONE IT TO YOURSELF!
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2-21-2009 @ 1:55AM
Bob said...
I'm sorry, but who is Kyle Petty? His name sounds familiar, kinda' like that Richard guy that used to win all the time back in the 70's. Oh, I remember now, Kyle was one of those guys they used to let play race car driver at the back of the pack, so the leaders could get more practice in traffic by passing them numerous times during the races--hey, SOMEBODY had to finish 40th, right? So he got shut out of the new business? Bummer...they must want to try to hire some winners now. Time to earn your own way in life, Kyle.
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2-21-2009 @ 4:57AM
Don Emerson said...
Kyle and Dale Jr both got into Nascar by virtue of their family name. Neither one has even remotely lived up to the expectations the fans had of them. Kyle's failures finally caught up with him, and Jr's will get him in the end too, it's just a matter of time. Kyle never really got a top notch ride because he didn't deserve one. On the other hand Jr did, and well.....you see the results. Kyle gave back to racing by way of opening the Victory Junction operation, while Jr...hmmm...well, he opened a bar. Guess the comparison ends there, but you get the picture. A good driver can win in a bad car a lot easier than a bad driver can win in a good car, just ask these two. Works for me.....
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2-21-2009 @ 10:09AM
rjsalo said...
Hey CJ,...but really,.... what do you think?
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2-21-2009 @ 12:56PM
barackscrakpipe said...
Hey Kyle you stink. Your old man was sick of watching you make a fool of yourself on the track. He did you a favor.
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2-22-2009 @ 8:04AM
demzrdopes said...
look, kyle is a joke as a driver, but king richard is a lying dirtbag. he treats kyle like earnhardt sr. used to treat junior, like a red headed stepchild..
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2-22-2009 @ 1:11PM
lawrencehubbard said...
what a bunch a haters last I looked the man did have wins in both the cup and during the 80's and the first part of the 90's he drove well (Mello Yello and Hot Wheels). Plus his dad did not want to be a sponserwhore so they keep itsmall time and killed them. The man on and off the track is far better then 99% then then the rest of the cry babies.
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2-22-2009 @ 1:16PM
Maveness said...
Try growing up in the same area as the Petty family.
There's a reason that Kyle's the one that's universally liked as a person and you try to avoid interacting with the rest. I don't care how legendary Richard is, he's an ass.
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2-24-2009 @ 11:47AM
RMT said...
No matter what,his father should not have left his son out in the cold!!
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2-26-2009 @ 9:08AM
GrumpyOldMan said...
I'd love to see the total number of laps down Kyle was over his career. 700?
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2-27-2009 @ 10:27AM
modnroqr68 said...
I agree with Maveness; Kyle is and always has been a class-act and genuinely down-to-Earth sports celebrity. Sure, trying to emerge from underneath his father's shadow must have been difficult, but I'll tell you what. While his driving success has been lackluster at best --- for any number of reasons --- Kyle continues to be the greatest ambassador for the NASCAR organization, in his philanthropic work and dedication to reaching out, chatting with, befriending and helping the fans who built NASCAR! His father came from the old school of NASCAR (a less sophisticated and more DIY approach to racing), which --- along with Kyle's reverence for his dad --- probably prevented Kyle from implementing many of his ideas to make PE a more competitive race team. Regardless, Kyle is an Everyman, a well-rounded individual with a wealth of knowledge of NASCAR's traditions and its modern approach to marketing, has been in the forefront of safety for the drivers and fans, as well a warm personality, which bodes him well for a career in broadcasting and continued success with his Victory Junction Gang and other humanitarian ventures! Kyle is his own person, and for that, I applaud him.
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