Video: Kyle Petty on Being a Grassroots Race Car Engineer–And So Much More

https://www.youtube.com/embed/prBz6KmzSuQ

NASCAR royalty Kyle Petty recently sat down with Craig Reynolds, former BMX pro and longtime friend of GRM, to chat about a wide range of topics, including growing up in a race shop, old-school track testing, having confidence in your crew, and being a decent-enough driver. Added bonus: talk about transitioning out of the cockpit, playing guitar, and doing charity work.

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David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/14/20 2:20 p.m.

And if you came here from the home page and are wondering we ran a photo of No. 43 for Kyle Petty, check out the guy lugging the right-front tire. 

Datsun310Guy
Datsun310Guy MegaDork
12/14/20 3:03 p.m.

This guy has always seemed genuine and likable to me.  

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/14/20 4:21 p.m.

I know that Kyle has run several road races, too, and I was just looking at his stats on racingsportscars.com. It shows him racing a Mazda RX-3 at the Daytona six-hour in 1981. He ran a Firebird at Daytona (with EFR) in 1983. His most active period was the '00s with stints in Porsches (including a GT1) and Daytona Prototypes. 

iceracer
iceracer MegaDork
12/14/20 5:50 p.m.

I met Kyle a long time ago when he came to a half mile dirt track near me and raced.  It seemed he was having a ball.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/15/20 7:19 p.m.

He looked like he was having fun at Daytona when he ran the Rolex. I knew that he played guitar, but I didn't realize that he came close to "making it."

NOT A TA
NOT A TA SuperDork
12/15/20 8:37 p.m.

Good interview. Spoke with Richard once out in front of the old museum while Kyles crew was practicing pit stops out back.

I raced ABA & NBL BMX nationals for many years so Craig & I were at the same races frequently. Cool to see him as the middle age version of the happy kid at the tracks, he's still that happy kid!

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/16/20 8:11 a.m.

In reply to NOT A TA :

Craig rules. We met at the Orlando National a million years ago--back when you had to ask if someone had an e-mail address so that you could keep in touch. I was driving a GTI, and pretty sure he had a CRX. 

NOT A TA
NOT A TA SuperDork
12/16/20 8:34 a.m.

In reply to David S. Wallens :

I first raced an Orlando NBL national back in '88(?). Lived in CT at the time and brought the wife & kids on vacation to the big mouse house and also raced Jacksonville the following weekend. IIRC I was riding a Foster painted blue/white Cyclecraft cruiser. Getting that orange clay out of uniforms sucked.

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