Post by pettycash on Jan 9, 2011 17:24:07 GMT -5
Beginning with the 1972 season, Petty Enterprises and STP signed a landmark deal for STP headed by Andy Granatelli to sponsor the famed 43 in NASCAR.
We've learned Dale Inman took a blue 43 to Riverside to get ready for the race while Richard and others went to Chicago to hammer out the details.
The negotiations nearly fell apart over the color of the car. Andy wanted it all STP red. Pettys wanted it Petty blue. A compromise was struck, and we ended up with color combination that at first suggestion probably seemed downright silly.
Maurice Petty was pretty concerned too what kind of pit uniforms Granatelli might demand. Turns out he may have had some legitimate concerns based on the history of STP at the Brickyard during the 1960s. Here are a few shots of STP's involvement in racing before joining forces with the Pettys.
Jim "Herk" Hurtubise in 1963 - perhaps the first STP day-glo red car:
How about this one from 1965 - with whitewalls!
A B&W version of same car - but take a look at that crew uniform:
Here's Herk in the car with the Big Guy, Andy G., talking to him. The crew looks like they're ready for a post-race slumber party.
And here is Bobby Unser in the mid 60s with the crew dressed in uniforms that most positively be explained as "unfortunate".
So I'd say Maurice had good reason to be concerned. Fortunately, the Petty Enterprises NASCAR crew were never forced to wear anything like that.
Interestingly, I also found this photo of Herk in an STP car that more closely resembled the Petty Enterprises blue-yellow Cheerios car some 40 years later.
We've learned Dale Inman took a blue 43 to Riverside to get ready for the race while Richard and others went to Chicago to hammer out the details.
The negotiations nearly fell apart over the color of the car. Andy wanted it all STP red. Pettys wanted it Petty blue. A compromise was struck, and we ended up with color combination that at first suggestion probably seemed downright silly.
Maurice Petty was pretty concerned too what kind of pit uniforms Granatelli might demand. Turns out he may have had some legitimate concerns based on the history of STP at the Brickyard during the 1960s. Here are a few shots of STP's involvement in racing before joining forces with the Pettys.
Jim "Herk" Hurtubise in 1963 - perhaps the first STP day-glo red car:
How about this one from 1965 - with whitewalls!
A B&W version of same car - but take a look at that crew uniform:
Here's Herk in the car with the Big Guy, Andy G., talking to him. The crew looks like they're ready for a post-race slumber party.
And here is Bobby Unser in the mid 60s with the crew dressed in uniforms that most positively be explained as "unfortunate".
So I'd say Maurice had good reason to be concerned. Fortunately, the Petty Enterprises NASCAR crew were never forced to wear anything like that.
Interestingly, I also found this photo of Herk in an STP car that more closely resembled the Petty Enterprises blue-yellow Cheerios car some 40 years later.
I have Richard petty cars 1/18 1/24 scales! Etc...
