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In more than 20 years in Nascar, Brad Keselowski has never spent a significant time with Richard Petty before traveling with Washington, DC on April 7, DC to socialize with the National Motors Sports Coalition congressmen.
The time with Petty was an eye-opening eye opening, who interviewed the seven-time cup champion about his life and career.
Keselowski explains what the time with Petty means to him and why he calls Petty – which is linked to Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson for most cup titles – as the ‘biggest race car driver who has ever lived’.
Keselowski on Petty:
“It was at some point during the year last year that I thought of him and how special he is for our sport, a unique person, and I could come here on a soap box, because my personal opinion on Richard Petty is probably different from many people’s opinion on Richard Petty.
‘I feel that Richard Petty is the biggest race car driver who has ever lived. The reason I feel that way is broader than just his persona, it is, I think, it’s pretty kind. It is broader than his 200 victories. I think it connects again to something that makes racing very unique compared to other sports.
“This is the aspect of he rushed into an era where the contemporaries he had could at least win or the top-level drivers, open-minded, not every year, and he made it several times from major accidents. He had the one in Darlington, the couple in Daytona and he not only survived, but he kept chasing. And he didn’t just keep going.
(Original caption) Richard Petty’s arm hangs out the window of his Plymouth after the veteran car driver hit the wall next to the wells and take off on this air flight. Petty was taken to the hospital.
Richard Petty’s arm hangs out the window of his Plymouth after his car hit the wall next to the wells and left in this 1970 accident in Darlington Raceway. (Photo: Bettmann archive)
“As no one else can really claim that at least you can’t look at the Nascar level, you can look at a Mario Andretti or someone of that nature. So for my drivers who will have incredible resumption of championships, an incredible resumption of big race victories or total race victories, but he has the typical race car driver of success, persona and guts.
“All three people together are just, they are legendary. I don’t think he gets enough credit for it, especially nowadays when we get such a stat based on everything. We just forget how impressive it is that this man won multiple races at some point in his career, carried out several championships and that he had all the other people of similar races.
Daytona Beach, FL -July 4, 1984: Richard Petty recorded his 200th, and Final, Nascar Cup series during the 1984 Firecracker 400. (Photo by ISC Archives/CQ -Roll Call Group via Getty Images)
Richard Petty recorded his 200th and final win in the NASCAR CUP series on the 1984 FIRECRACKER 400 (ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Call Group via Getty Images)
“There’s no one like I can put a finger. So I thought about it at some point last year. What I really thought of, ‘Brad, what are the things in your life that you totally take for granted that you will regret completely of 10, 20, 30, 40 years? ‘
“And one of them, while I made this spiritual list, was that I had access to Richard Petty and did nothing about it, such as not to get to know him, he couldn’t build a relationship with him, which was completely true until I went on that journey (in April), the last decade or more of my life. I was like ‘man, I’m really sorry I really regret it.
“I can remember that I made a spiritual remark, and did not necessarily have an answer to it. And when the opportunity arrived to go to DC with NASCAR and the Congress Committee for the trip, I was like, ‘It’s great, maybe I could spend time with him. ‘
“And just through a complete event, it was ultimately that I was on the plane with him. And I don’t want to undertone (it). Toni Breater was on the plane with me and Rajah (Caruth) was with me, so they were there too. So it wasn’t just Richard, but I put myself in front of Richard. Me about that. And it was fantastic.
“I wish we had the Google goggles … I wish I was wearing them for that plane ride and the record button. It was a real, real blessing, real delicacy. And I would expand the same thought to all of us in the room, which are the things that would say 10, 20 years from now that I wanted me to have the benefit of the opportunity and that I didn’t, and that Richard was one of them … he had a big thing. lives.
What stood out with petty most of the time that day?
Keselowski said: ‘I am still blown away by the same thing, what is’ Richard, how did you return in the car after winning all these races, championships, had two or three children and after seeing the Ned Jarretts, winning and retiring and winning the Fireball Roberts Parish on the racetrack? How did you go on?
“Like how did you just say,” Do you know what, I have earned my money, I have my farm, I have my wife and children, I’m just going to pack it. How did you keep staying at a high level? Because you can only stay in the sense that I’m just going to keep chasing, but if the tires seem to blow out, or, you know, if it looks a little hair, I’ll just fall, right, right?
“He could have done it, but he didn’t. And, you know, asked him, perhaps less candid, the questions and just to hear him and his dedication to the sport and how Nascar is and what he was and what he always wanted to be, who just blew me away. Nowadays, people are not as much dedicated to things as I think and his generation was. ‘
