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Petty and Wood didn’t change with the times
By admin | December 7, 2008
By Jayson D. Henry
I just read Rich’s column on the demise of Petty Enterprises and Wood Brothers Racing. As a person with a bit younger perspective than he has I am also saddened by the downfall of these two legendary teams.
Rich pointed out in his column that he was born in 1967. I am 26 and never saw Richard Petty race in person. However, the first race I attended was the 2001 Food City 500 which was won by Elliott Sadler driving the Wood Brothers #21 car. He finished just ahead of John Andretti who was driving the Petty Enterprises #43 car.
That would be the last time these two teams would finish 1-2.
Unfortunately, the truth is that Petty Enterprises and Wood Brothers Racing just didn’t change with the times. Popular or not, multi car teams in big Charlotte area garages are the business model of the day. With the expense of racing being what it is, the necessity of having several cars in one organization allows for the most efficient use of man and machine power.
Both of these teams stuck with the model that had worked for them in the 1960s and 1970s. Although they may have been doing what they were doing for the right reasons, the results were destined to lead to the point where they are now. Both organizations may have wanted to remain as small, family owned operations which would allow them to be loyal to those who had helped them get to the top.
Until just recently, Petty Enterprise still ran their team out of the same family garage in Level Cross, North Carolina they had used for decades. Literally and figuratively far from the huge, technological marvels that sit just a stone’s throw from the Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the shop had a homey feel, but unfortunately, not a competitive feel.
They must have been doing something right because former Sprint Cup champion Bobby Labonte decided to join their team and to remain even when he has been rumored to have other offers. Although it seems that Labonte will now have to move on as Petty appears ready to close its doors.
Reality finally forced the Pettys to move closer to the Charlotte area last year. Perhaps the move was too little too late.
Wood Brothers Racing also employed the same type model with their business. Choosing to remain in Stuart, Virginia rather than take up residence in the Charlotte area, they watched the NASCAR world go racing by while they sat still. They too moved to Charlotte but only after it was too late.
If the end is near for these two storied organizations it is a sad day indeed. Whoever is to blame, whether it be NASCAR, the newer mega teams, the sponsors, the teams themselves or a combination of all, the fact is that these teams failed to change with the times. And the sad result is they are closer to being a part of racing’s history than they are its present and future.
Jayson D. Henry is a guest blogger for RacingWithRich.com.
For coverage of other sports go to Jayson’s website, NeverEnoughSports.com.
http://www.neverenoughsports.com/
Topics: Articles |
December 8th, 2008 at 8:07 am
Jayson , I wish this block was bigger and I wasn’t at work then I would spend the rest of the day describing to you what it was like to see “The King” on the track. I have been to all of it Pro Football, major college football match-ups, whatever and have all the ticket stubs to prove it. I can with ease tell you nothing can describe being at the track on a hot Sunday afternoon when Richard Petty eased his car to the front and the crowd stood all togather not going crazy like they do today just standing in respect of the greatness.
December 8th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Richard Petty did more for auto racing than anyone else. His name alone help make nascar what it is today. When race fans are at the races or watching it on television, they can thank richard petty for part of the growth. The sport owes him more than they can repay.
December 8th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
I think that the sport owes Richard Petty it’s greatness and growth. I know that Dale Earnhart was a great drever also and helped in the same way as Richard But what Lee Petty and Richard Petty accomplished got everyone who came after them AND Nascar to where it is now. I think it should be considered to give Petty Enterprises a Bailout (everybody else is getting one), from Nascar itself because if this storied team goes under so goes Nascar!
December 8th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
There is a big difference between the Wood brothers and the Pettys and the mega teams of today. Racing was what fed their families and this was their business. The mega team owners like Roush and Hendrick came in with money from their business to support their hobby. Richard Childress is a execption but he had Dale Earnhardt driving when the sport started paying big money. If Hendrick did not support Gibbs in the begining he would not have been able to do what he is doing now. The way the sport is now you can’t rely on racing alone to keep you on top you must have a lot of money behind you.
December 8th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
I think alot of the blame is with nascar.They could have put a limit on how many teams one owner could have long ago.the one car teams paved the way for the multi-car teams.If there is not a Wood Brothers #21 in the field on Sunday I will not be watching.Maybe the big multi-car teams need to learn to do more with less.Best of luck to the Woods and Bill!
December 8th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
The truth is there are always two races going on in NASCAR’s business model. The one everyone cares about - the race on the track, and the other one that we try to pretend doesn’t matter - the race for sponsorship dollars. You may think the latter is secondary to the former but in reality it is the money that matters in the long run.
You can argue about multi-car teams being the demise of NASCAR but nothing has changed; while Richard Petty was an awesome driver and perhaps the best of his era, he was also probably the most well funded. So nothing has really changed - money, money, money rules.
December 8th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
If you think that Richard Petty and the Wood Brothers didn’t look to grow their teams, then you haven’t looked quite hard enough. I like to hear people talk about expanding to multi car teams like its its same as deciding whether or not to eat at McDonalds for breakfast.
Raising the necessary funding to support one team is hard enough, let alone two or three or four. Ask Chip Ganassi how his three car team fared this year? And DEI with their four cars?
Unfortunately, some mega rich individuals with deep pockets and a multitude of resources invaded the sport and in the process have been allowed to run everyone else out. These individuals were actually helped by the Petty’s and the Wood Brothers when they came to them for guidance early on. The only thanks those good people got from them was the theft of their sponsors and good employees.
I have often said that Nascar is a microcosm of what this country has become. The filthy rich prey on the good hearted, salt of the earth folks and exploit them and drive them into the ditch. Hendrick, Roush and company may think they’ll have the last laugh, but as their sport continues to decline into irrelevancy, they’ll be left to the scrap heap as well.