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NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
GURSS: The End of 60 Years of Petty Enterprises?
It seems Petty Enterprises will become a part of Gillett Evernham Motorsports, ending a 60-year history of family toil, tragedy and triumph...
Jade Gurss  |  Posted January 06, 2009   Mooresville, North Carolina
Faster. Louder. The weekly column on SPEEDtv.com by Jade Gurss. (Harold Hinson Photo)

Though nothing has been officially announced, it seems Petty Enterprises (or at least the car number and owner’s points for the No. 43) will become a part of Gillett Evernham Motorsports, ending a 60-year history of family toil, tragedy and triumph.

The rumors outweigh the facts as to what form the “new” team will take, or even what it will be named (especially after the buy-out of Ray Evernham, who no longer has an official role with the team). No matter the name, there’s no question it will be controlled and operated by George Gillett and family, ending six decades of what Lee Petty started in a chicken coop next to the family’s home.

The reasons for the demise of the once mighty Petty Empire are myriad and go back several decades, but the past year has seen a perfect storm of circumstances to mark the end. Even after the team no longer dominated the sport, they managed to eke out a victory here and there with drivers Bobby Hamilton and John Andretti while waiting for Adam Petty to come of age and carry on the family tradition. The tragic death of Adam, who showed every sign of the Petty charisma and skill, tore the heart out of the family and the team in 2000, and they never again visited victory lane.

In recent years, they brought Bobby Labonte and Robbie Loomis into key positions to attempt to restore the team to past glory, but without a clear, strong leader at the top, Petty Enterprises fell further and further behind on the track and in the sponsor sweepstakes. A brief glimmer sparked in early 2008 when they moved from their antique Level Cross, NC shops to a more modern facility in Mooresville, but the move also served to tear more strands from their historic tapestry. Then, mid-season, the team announced the sale of a controlling interest to Boston Ventures.

The sale assured the Petty family and grandchildren would have an inheritance to show for the 60 years of blood, sweat and tears (which is much more than many other team owners can show), but also signified the rapid descent to the end. Kyle Petty essentially disappeared from the team, with his (and Adam’s) legacy intact especially through their Victory Junction Gang camp.


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