Richard Pettys first car

[retroguy]

you should check this out,hopefully the link will work...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130865035183&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:MOTORS:1123#v4-35

[MAGNUM4342]

Richard's first car was actually a '57 Olds. The '59 Plymouth shown on that link however, was Richard's first good looking car. I think the Petty Blue had something to do with that.

[Chas SCR]

Your right Kevin as Richards first car was a ragtop as he came in that year to start, and also his first speedway car was distoryed at Daytona as he and his dad gone over the wall on the same day but in sepret 100mil qual races.

[MAGNUM4342]

You know Chas, as many times as i've seen that footage of Johnny Beauchamp pushing Lee over that guardrail, it still sends cats up my spine. The only real comfort out of it I can find is that it ended Beauchamps career as well. From what Richard told me way back in 1978, there had been a rivalry between Beauchamp and the Petty's from the word go. It kind of suprised me because i've never known Richard to dislike anybody, but I guess there was at least one.

[Chas SCR]

I think Lee would have been ok if he didn't land in the tunnel part. Unlike Richard he shot out off turn one and two and had some thing a little softer to land on.

[MAGNUM4342]

I know right?! All Richard got was a sore shoulder and some glass particles in the eyes. To hear Richard tell it (and I hope he never sees this as I might be talking out of school) Lee was a different person before that wreck. Afterward the cane didn't bother him, his limp and aching leg didn't phase him. He hated not being able to race. True he tried a few more times in the next couple years but it wasn't the same. Alot of folks talk about him being gruff and surly. He was, to a point. But the few times I got to talk with him he was very personable. Of course I broke the ice with a couple good golf jokes which by the tme I met him golf was his favorite thing.

By the way, Micheal, thank you for posting the link. Those were some great pics of his restored '59 Plymouth.

Edited March 11, 2013 by MAGNUM4342

[Edsel-Dan]

Is that a 59?? Looks like a 60. And is labeled as one too.

I know the front clip sure looks like my Jo-Han 60 Suburban kit!!!

[MAGNUM4342]

It is a sixty. I don't know why I put '59 other than it was really late.

[Chas SCR]

Maybe cause we was talking about when Petty ran his first race, It was 58 and 59 was the his true first start at Daytona as he and his father didn't race in 58 after both of them took a trip trip over the wall. If i'm not mistaken I think the only car in 58 out of Pettys that was in the 500 was Marcuse ( I know I spelled his name wrong)

[MAGNUM4342]

Maybe cause we was talking about when Petty ran his first race, It was 58 and 59 was the his true first start at Daytona as he and his father didn't race in 58 after both of them took a trip trip over the wall. If i'm not mistaken I think the only car in 58 out of Pettys that was in the 500 was Marcuse ( I know I spelled his name wrong)

It was actually 1961 that both Petty's wrecked in the qualifiers. Did you mean to say "Maurice"?

[Chas SCR]

I thought it was 58 with the white rag top that he had. Yes Maurice.

[MAGNUM4342]

Don't feel bad, I used to spell it wrong too. Then I walked into the shop one day and Maurice and Dale were both there and I got thier autographs. I wish I had all those old pictures but one waterbed and an idiotic ex wife later...well, just draw your own conclusion!

[Chas SCR]

I still have a lot of stuff from the early 70s from my child hood of going to all the races. Richard was my fav all the time and also have a rare 78 photo of him driving the all red 42 car at Wilks race and used the first ever "Championson Prov" to start the car because him and Kyle traded cars for the weekend to make sure both of them was in the race.

[MAGNUM4342]

I would love to see that one. Pics of the all red Monte are VERY rare.

[Tom Geiger]

Richard also wrecked out his 1960 Valiant in the Compact Class races. Lee Petty's last official win was in the 1961 Compact Class Race, driving a 1960 Valiant hyperpack

[shafer]

pettys first ride was a57 olds convertable, it was painted white with pale blue trim. he ran it in 58 for 5 races none of which used the #43 he used his dad's # or added the letter A or removed the #4 and raced it as 2, petty did not use the #43 on that car until 1959 just before switching to plymouth. The 59 plymouth was not petty blue, it was white with red #s