Post by ricklou on Feb 20, 2010 20:13:52 GMT -5
Bill France had a very good idea with his racing series. His vision was to have a sanctioning body that would put on a good show for the fans and guarantee a pay out for it's competitors while providing for his family.
What did he have to work with ? Big Bill's genius was to piggyback the scene at Daytona Beach which had been karma to gear heads and speed deamons for years. He saw an opportunity to sell real racing. France nearly went broke doing this but it kind of worked out.
Lee Petty embraced France's dream to take advantage of this new racing series and afterall he had to provide for his family as well. What a better way to do it than having fun while doing it. We see this as a kid in a candy store. For Lee it was all business but make no mistake he smiled all the way to the bank.
Lee had his own kid in the candy store with a young son who was chomping at the bit to get in on some of the action.
Richard Petty would have to mature before getting into this playground. From sweeping floors to building race cars it all came together in due time. A young Richard badly wanted to race but his father refused untill he was the age of 21. Richard learned his lessons well and soon would set the bar of accomplshment that will never be equalled.
The backbone of Bill France's Grand Natiional Divison was the short tracks. This is where it all started and to this day most drivers who desire to race oval tracks for a living start on the short tracks.
For Lee Petty and his son racing was a living and they did this very well. The secrets of short tracking are in hard work and Lee was the master by winning three Nascar championships. For Richard there were no secrets as he took the reigns from his father and ran with them like no other before.
In Grand National racing Richard made a statement early on showing his prowess on the bull rings and half mile tracks. The Petty's had short track racing figured out and to this day no other can claim their crown.
The elite series of Nascar racing was built on long distance events. Marquee venues like Martinsville, North Wilkseboro and the Richmond Fairgrounds among others featured events of 400 to 500 laps in length. This kind of endurance racing was unheard of untill Bill France made it the norm. For the Petty clan it was nothin but another race.
Richard Petty's real mark on racing is with the short tracks. There are those who say that Richard Petty's accomplishements are watered down, easy or less than stellar. It is they whom have not done their homework.
Of Richard's 200 victories 145 of them were on short tracks. 72 wins were events of at least 300 laps in length and 57 checkered flags were 200 laps or more in length. This takes nothing away from the great short track drivers of today and the past as there are many who have won hundreds of races but make no mistake, there are none who have dominated the short tracks as Richard Petty.
What did he have to work with ? Big Bill's genius was to piggyback the scene at Daytona Beach which had been karma to gear heads and speed deamons for years. He saw an opportunity to sell real racing. France nearly went broke doing this but it kind of worked out.
Lee Petty embraced France's dream to take advantage of this new racing series and afterall he had to provide for his family as well. What a better way to do it than having fun while doing it. We see this as a kid in a candy store. For Lee it was all business but make no mistake he smiled all the way to the bank.
Lee had his own kid in the candy store with a young son who was chomping at the bit to get in on some of the action.
Richard Petty would have to mature before getting into this playground. From sweeping floors to building race cars it all came together in due time. A young Richard badly wanted to race but his father refused untill he was the age of 21. Richard learned his lessons well and soon would set the bar of accomplshment that will never be equalled.
The backbone of Bill France's Grand Natiional Divison was the short tracks. This is where it all started and to this day most drivers who desire to race oval tracks for a living start on the short tracks.
For Lee Petty and his son racing was a living and they did this very well. The secrets of short tracking are in hard work and Lee was the master by winning three Nascar championships. For Richard there were no secrets as he took the reigns from his father and ran with them like no other before.
In Grand National racing Richard made a statement early on showing his prowess on the bull rings and half mile tracks. The Petty's had short track racing figured out and to this day no other can claim their crown.
The elite series of Nascar racing was built on long distance events. Marquee venues like Martinsville, North Wilkseboro and the Richmond Fairgrounds among others featured events of 400 to 500 laps in length. This kind of endurance racing was unheard of untill Bill France made it the norm. For the Petty clan it was nothin but another race.
Richard Petty's real mark on racing is with the short tracks. There are those who say that Richard Petty's accomplishements are watered down, easy or less than stellar. It is they whom have not done their homework.
Of Richard's 200 victories 145 of them were on short tracks. 72 wins were events of at least 300 laps in length and 57 checkered flags were 200 laps or more in length. This takes nothing away from the great short track drivers of today and the past as there are many who have won hundreds of races but make no mistake, there are none who have dominated the short tracks as Richard Petty.
I have Richard petty cars 1/18 1/24 scales! Etc...
