Oaks, PA — Tony Stewart, one of the most popular names in auto racing, is set to be part of the Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2018 Race Car and Trade Show presented by Sunoco and fueled by Insinger Performance come January 2018.
A winner in just about every form of auto racing that he took part in, including NASCAR Cup and IndyCar, during his career Stewart will appear at the popular show on Saturday, January 20, from 12 noon to 2 p.m. The 33rd edition of the show, featuring just about everything imaginable in motorsports, takes place at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pa. on Friday through Sunday, January 19-21, 2018.
Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, retired from NASCAR race driving at the end of the 2016 season. He remains a major part of NASCAR as he and Gene Haas own the four car Stewart-Haas Cup Series team. The Ford entries are currently driven by Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer and Danica Patrick.
Considered one of the busiest people in the motorsports business Tony now races in Sprint Car events across the nation, operates the hugely popular Eldora, Ohio Speedway and is the owner of the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car organization not to mention a number of other business ventures.
The former NASCAR, Indy Racing League, USAC Triple Crown and IROC champion is always a great interview. He will first speak to show attendees before signing autographs.
Many other well-known local, regional and national motorsports personalities are also expected to appear.
Filling 250,000 square feet of space, the show features hundreds of race cars, speedway exhibits, parts and product displays and more. Many speedways use the three day show to announce their plans for the new season. In addition, there are a number of free seminars offered that cover a variety of subjects relating to the business of motorsports.
The show has also become known for its outstanding show special cash and carry prices on many items especially a long range of safety equipment from seats, to helmets and uniforms.
“The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks is a great location in the center of the northeast racing world,” said Sammons. “It’s easy in and easy out with plenty of free parking surrounding the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. It has become a very popular location with show attendees and exhibitors. We welcome the opportunity to return the show to the Expo Center which continues to improve annually. The new HD Lights were a great addition last year.”
Exhibit space continues to fill quickly indicating the show will be a huge success.
A newly designed website with up to date information on the show was recently launched, motorsportstradeshow.com. The site is dedicated solely to the event and will be a must visit for potential exhibitors and attendees.
Information is also available by calling 609.888.3618 or emailing a request to motorsports@aarn.com.
MAY 6, 2017 . . . Pioneer Pole Buildings and Sunoco Distributed by Insinger Performance will be back as sponsors of the Motorsports Race Car and Trade Show which is set to take place January 19-21, 2018 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA. This will be the 33rd year for the northeast’s most popular show.
Exhibitors from the 2017 show are invited to renew, enlarge or move their space to a new location by June 1st. After that date all remaining 250,000 square feet of exhibit space becomes available on a first come, first serve basis. Those who were part of the last show were sent a new colorful 20018 show brochure this past week.
PPB Motorsports 2018 presented by Sunoco will again offer attendees the opportunity to see up close just about everything imaginable in auto racing. And many will be anxious to learn who the headliners will be. That information will be released as the show dates move closer.
Richard Petty, considered the King when it comes to NASCAR, attracted long lines of fans to hear his interview and collect his artistic autograph in January. Another huge attraction was the only American owned Formula One entry owned by Haas Automation.
“With all the attractions we offered, the free autograph opportunities, the appearance of Richard Petty and so much the 2017 show was a big success,” said show promoter Len Sammons. “We are expecting this edition to be even a bigger success. You can bet our staff will be working hard to make it happen. The three day show will again fill all space available in the hall. We are suggesting that those planning to exhibit reserve their space as soon as possible.”
Racers from all over the Northeast pencil in the Motorsports show date so they can talk first hand with manufactures and distributors of products they use. In 2017 all major builders of dirt Modifieds were on hand to exhibit and meet with customers. The show has also become known for its outstanding show special cash and carry prices on many ideas especially a long range of safety equipment from seats, to helmets and uniforms.
“The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks is a great location in the center of the northeast racing world,” said Sammons. “It’s easy in and easy out with plenty of Free parking surrounding the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. It has become a very popular location with show attendees and exhibitors. We welcome the opportunity to return the show to the Expo Center which continues to improve annually. The new HD Lights were a great addition last year.”
Additional details on show plans will be released in the near future.
Again the popular Crowne Plaza will remain as the host hotel. Room reservations can be made at www.aarn.com or telephone 610.265.7500 and mention the special Motorsports 2018 deal of $94 per night. The hugely popular Saturday post-event party, a show tradition, will continue at the Crowne Plaza.
Information on being a part of the 2018 show can be had by visiting the show link at www.aarn.com, dropping an email to motorsports@aarn.com or telephoning 609.888.3618. A colorful show brochure giving all exhibitor information is available upon request.
OAKS, PA January 20, 2017 . . . With a large and enthusiastic crowd in attendance, the 2017 Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports Race Car & Trade Show opened at 2:00 p.m., for the first day of a three-day run in the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center.
“Our Short Track Super Series and Georgetown Speedway booths were very busy all day,” said Heather Deyo, wife of STSS and Georgetown promoter Brett Deyo. “They were still three deep at our booths when the announcement was made that the show was closing for the day.”
Elsewhere, Hoffman Speed & Performance owner Keith Hoffman, who also is involved in the operation of Bridgeport Speedway, was extremely pleased with the turnout at the show and the business Hoffman Speed did.
“This was one of the best Fridays we have had since we started coming to show many years ago,” Hoffman said. Hoffman further noted that Bridgeport Speedway’s staff was doing a brisk trade in pit licenses, pit parking space sales and even 2016 souvenir merchandise liquidation.
Kevin Olson’s two hour autograph signing of his new book, ‘Cages Are For Monkeys’ kept the USAC star busy signing copies of books being purchased.
“The book is doing well, in its second printing, and I’m happy with the sales at the show so far,” Olson said.
Max McLaughlin was the winner of the Celebrity Go Kart Challenge, conducted at the Motorsports Show Indoor Electric Kart Oval Track. McLaughlin outran Anthony Perrego, Eric Kormann, Ryan Grim, Ryan Godown and DJ Hunt. The six were the qualifiers from a twelve driver celebrity field that ran two heat races.
A rear engine Midget that was designed, built and driven by Jerry Wall, now 82 years of age, was unveiled by Gary Mondschein, the architect of the restoration project while George VanVarick, owner of the car, looked on with pride. The car was campaigned by Wall in the early seventies, won eight times, then was effectively banned by rule changes that specified the route through the chassis the driveshaft was required to take.
“I thought about building the car after driving several Midgets including a mid-engine one,” Wall said. “I spent a year building it and wasn’t sure it would work. But did, too well,” Wall laughed.
The festivities of Day One served as a prelude to Day Two which will feature guest appearances by NASCAR Superstar Richard Petty and second generation NASCAR racer Jeffrey Earnhardt and the day will conclude Saturday night with the annual Ms. Motorsports Pageant.
Ms. Motorsports 2016, Arynne Moody will crown her successor.
The PPB Motorsports Race Car & Trade Show and Len Sammons Motorsports Productions advises those planning on traveling to the Show from New Jersey that the Pennsylvania Turnpike Delaware River Bridge has been closed indefinitely. Attendees should seek alternate Delaware River crossings north or south of the PA Turnpike Bridge.
The vast majority of the hundreds of race cars and exhibitors are in place on the floor of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center as of Thursday night at 8:00 p.m., seventeen hours before tickets go on sale for Day One of the PPB Motorsports Race Car & Trade Show in Oaks, Pa.
The Show runs from Friday, January 20 through Sunday, January 23.
Kevin Olson, noted for his USAC Sprint and Midget race car driver prowess and his outspoken nature, arrived at Philadelphia International Airport at 2:54 p.m., where he was met by Motorsports staffers Phil and Mary Good, who transported Olson back to his hotel room in King Of Prussia, Pa.
Olson will sign copies of his new tell-all book beginning Friday afternoon at the Coastal 181 Publishing Booth.
Second year exhibitor Jerry Higbie, Jr., owner of Hig Fab Chassis in Goshen, N.Y., shared the enthusiasm of most every exhibitor on Thursday set-up day, commenting, “No show in the forecast, you gotta love that.”
Higbie was referring to the 2016 Show which was weather affected. Nevertheless, Higbie was among a huge number of returnees for the 2017 Show. Numerous first time exhibitors including Extreme Energy Solutions of Sparta, N.J. are awaiting public scrutiny over the next three days,
Doors to the Show officially open at 2:00 p.m. Friday with pre-show viewing in the C-Hall section of the Expo Center starting at 1:00 p.m. On Saturday, Show hours are 11:00 a.m. through 9:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Saturday will feature guest appearances by NASCAR Stock Car racing legend Richard Petty and aspiring talent Jeffrey Earnhardt. Saturday night will see the staging of the annual Ms. Motorsports
Pageant that will culminate with the crowning of Ms. Motorsports 2017 by her predecessor, Arynne Moody.
Visit www.aarn.com for a comprehensive schedule of events, exhibitors and days and times of guest appearances. Attendees are reminded that many drivers who are not scheduled for specific appearances are annual visitors to the Motorsports Show.
OAKS, PA January 17, 2017 . . . Racers coming out to the Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2017 Fueled by Sunoco Race Fuels and Distributed by Insinger Performance Race Car and Trade Show taking place this weekend, January 20th thru January 22nd, will be able to see, touch and purchase just about everything imaginable in motorsports. And there will be several opportunities to improve their knowledge with a variety of FREE seminars.
The Hard-Core racing section is located in B-Hall with several race car chassis builders showing their wares including Bernheisel, Bicknell, Hyper, Xcel, Hig-Fab, Speedway Entertainment, Teo, Troyer and West Fabrications.
Then there are the part manufacturers such as DMI, Winters, Wilwood, Art’s Radiator, Jones Racing Products, Calaman Radiators, Keizer Wheels, Beyea Headers, Henry Stainless Steel Exhaust, ERK Steering and Fastners Specialty.
Bilstein, Eibach, Fox and VRP will be showing off shocks and springs.
Great deals on safety equipment is being offered with all noted brands including Simpson, Bell, Impact, Design 500, Velocita, K-1 Race Gear, Highside, Schroth, Stilo and Hinchman at the show.
Containment racing seats will be available to see and sit in with Butler, Kirkey and LaJoie.
Need to see what is available in tires you can check in with American Racer and Hoosier.
Sunoco and VP will have representatives there to talk about fuel.
Cargo Trailer Sales, Pit Pal Products and Capital Renegade will show what is new for race car trailers and haulers.
A number of speed shops that offer a large variety of products along with special manufacturer dealers will be display at the show.
Bring your note pads, pencils and recorders so you can keep track of what you will be learning at the FREE seminar sessions that include sponsorship, legal issues, the basics of racing, what you need to know about racing shocks, safety at the track and more.
Sure to gain a lot of attention is the Dorney Park and the New York State Fairgrounds Moody Mile Reunions.
Of course “King” Richard Petty, Jeff Earnhardt, Hall of Fame Midget racer Kevin Olson, Gary Balough, Jeff Hammond, Bobby Dillner and a host of other well-known names in the sport will be on hand to meet with fans and sign autographs. And there will be more than 250 vehicles on display representing just about all areas of the sport. Definitely do not forget the camera.
The popular Oliver Construction Enterprises sponsored MS Motorsports Pageant takes place Saturday evening. Youngsters get their day on Sunday, Family Day, with Little Miss Tiny Miss Motorsports along with Big Wheel Racing. Anyone interested in entering any of the different competitions can do so by arriving early at the show the day of the event and checking in at the stage area.
And for the young and old the go-kart raceway will be open each day starting 15 minutes after the show officially opens.
Check in at www.aarn.com to get full details on the show along with admission prices, show hours and much more.
For more info telephone 609.888.3618
Matt Sheppard, who turned the most potentially adverse moment of his driving career into the most productive season of his life, will be among the honorees on Saturday.
Sheppard will be recognized at Motorsports for winning 29 feature races in 2016, five more than any other driver in the Area Auto Racing News readership area. Each of the wins were in the Dirt Modified category.
“I didn’t have a lot of time to put a team together,” Sheppard remarked of the organization he nad his supporters formed after his release from HBR Racing in early December. “I hadn’t planned on being a driver-owner but it has worked out pretty well I’d say.”
Sheppard, of Waterloo, N.Y. ,will receive a check at the Motorpsorts Show for $200 as a divisional winner and $500 for the overall Northeast winners. Sheppard earned his fifth Super DIRT Car Series title with a record twelve wins and claimed track titles at Canandaigua and Utica-Rome Speedways in 2017.
Asphalt Modified driver Keith Rocco, on the strength of fifteen 2016 wins, is the Northeast winner in that category, Rocco, of Wallingford, Ct., earned a total of 23 features in 2016, with his 15 asphalt Modified wins the standard in that bracket. He also won seven asphalt Late Model races Rocco will receive $200 from Area Auto Racing News.
Mike Sweeney, asphalt Late Model specialist of Nesquehoning, Pa. topped all others in the AARN readership with nine features and will receive $200 from Area Auto Racing News for that achievement.
Tyler Walton of Mifflintown, Pa.. topped the 600cc Micro Sprint division with twelve wins to earn the Area Auto Racing News Top Northeast Winner title for the second straight year. Like Sheppard, Rocco and Sweeney, Walton will be honored at Motorsports.
Two other Top Northeast winners will be unable to attend the Motorsports Show for the best possible reason: they will be racing.
Dirt Late Model standout Max Blair, Titusville. Pa., won twenty Dirt Late Model features in 2016, fifth overall over the AARN readership. Blair will be ‘on the road’ during the Motorsports Show, en route to Dirt Late Model races beginning the next week in Georgia and Florida.
And Central Pennsylvania 410 Sprint star Greg Hodnett of Thomasville. Pa., is already racing Sprint cars, in Australia where he will remain until early February.
Sheppard, Rocco, Sweeney and Walton will meet and greet race fans at the Area Auto Racing News Booth No. 224 beginning at 5:00 p.m. and running through 6:00 p.m. Each will sign the annual Motorsports Show commemorative Top Northeast Winner color poster and pose for pictures with admiring fans.
The Northeast Top Winners will be interviewed on stage prior to the 2017 Ms. Motorsports pageant on Saturday beginning at 7:00 p.m. commemorative plaques will be presented and checks will be presented on stage by members of the Area Auto Racing News staff.
Rising NASCAR star Jeffrey Earnhardt will be part of the excitement at the Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2017 Fueled by Sunoco Racing Fuels and Distributed by Insinger Performance Race Car TradeShow. Earnhardt will be signing autographs and meeting with the fans on Saturday, January 21 from 4-5:30pm.
Earnhardt, grandson of the late NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr., will be making his first appearance at the 32nd edition of the hugely popular show. He will join seven time NASCAR Cup champion Richard Petty, FOX-TV’s Jeff Hammond and Hall of Fame Midget racer Kevin Olson as they meet with fans, sign autographs and do interviews.
Jeffrey raced a limited schedule of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series events in 2016 and has raced in 25 races since he kicked off his Cup career at Richmond International Raceway in 2015. He is expected to announce his plans for NASCAR Cup Series in the very near future.
The nephew of Dale Earnhardt Jr. also has been a competitor in mixed martial arts competition.
The 27-year-old racer will be appearing on Saturday from 4-5:30pm as will “The King” Richard Petty from 1-3pm.
Show attendees will have the opportunity meet these major names in the sport along with many racers and personalities from local and regional racing.
Drawing a lot of attention is the Dorney Park and Syracuse ‘Moody Mile’ Reunions set to run throughout the three days.
More than 250 race cars will be on display including two that were driven by Richard Petty and a pair of race cars driven by the late NASCAR racer Ron Bouchard. The Ford powered Monster Energy NASCAR Cup car to be driven by Danica Patrick will be there along with the Haas Automotion Formula One entry giving attendees a chance for a close look.
There will be free autograph opportunities throughout the three days of the show with many tracks and racing series having some of their top racers on hand to meet fans. Many 2017 racing schedules will be released at the show.
Hardcore vendors offering, in many cases, what is new for racers. And fans will be able to seek out some bargains from collectible vendors.
The always popular Ms. Motorsports Contest will again be part of the Saturday activities.
There is still limited exhibit space available. Information is available from Danny Sammons at 609.888.3618 or danny@aarn.com.
Show hours, ticket info and more is available at www.aarn.com and click on the Motorsports link.
Named in honor of one of Mack Trucks’ founders, John (Jack) M. Mack, “Jack” is a completely customized all-wheel-drive Mack mega crew cab pick-up. This one-of-a kind truck came off the production line at the Lehigh Valley Operations cab & vehicle assembly facility on October 27, 2015 – the 151st birthday of one of the Mack brothers who established Mack Trucks in 1900.
“Jack” puts forth a fearless presence that takes ownership of every road he travels. The 800hp engine was hand-crafted and performance modified in the performance laboratory at Powertrain Productions in Hagerstown, MD.
The truck’s custom fabricated bumpers are Born Ready for tough, off-road terrain. A completely customized, fully tilting cab bed matches the cab’s aesthetics and reinforces its “tough as the come” appeal.
The Mack brothers created what has long stood as the most iconic brand in the trucking industry. Their name lives on through our employees and their passion for building premium trucks that are so synonymous with toughness, durability and strength they are an enduring part of our language: “Built like a Mack Truck”
A proud symbol of the Mack brand, “Jack” was Born Ready and stands as a physical manifestation of the innovative skills and technical expertise of the people who build Mack Trucks – The American Truck You Can County On.
Jack’s Physical Features
– 800 Cubic Inch Turbo Diesel Engine
– 800 Horsepower
– 2,800 ft. lbs. of torque.
– 8″ dual exhaust
– 19,000 pounds
– Black rawhide interior
– Touch screen infotainment system
– 3D printed “Jack” name plates modeled on founder Jack Mark’s Signature
– 46″ Tires and Custom Wheels
– Back up and side cameras
– 16,000 lb. winch
– Born Ready attitude.
Two Significant Richard Petty NASCAR Stock Cars To Be Displayed At Motorsports 2017
By HERB ANASTOR
OAKS, PA – The excitement of Richard Petty’s appearance at the Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2017 Race Car and Trade Show Fueled by Sunoco Distributed By Insinger Performance on Jan. 21 from 1-3 p.m. here at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center will be added to throughout the weekend by the display of two of his most-significant NASCAR Cup Series cars.
Each of these No. 43 Petty Enterprises-built racing machines – his 1967 Plymouth Belvedere and 1972 Dodge Charger – mark a special point in Petty’s long and colorful driving career (1958-1992) and they also help to tell important parts of the NASCAR story.
The Petty Blue No. 43 1967 Plymouth Belvedere holds a special place in Petty Enterprises and NASCAR history as it was the car that Petty used to win 27 then-NASCAR Grand National races, including an amazing and never-duplicated 10 victories in a row.
These efforts, of course, took place when NASCAR’s premier touring series raced on several dirt and asphalt short tracks, asphalt speedways of various sizes and on a road course or two. And this Stock Car is also unique in that Petty used it during the year that he became “The King.”
Although Petty started out 1967 with three brand new cars, they just didn’t perform as expected. So, after a few races Richard, his engine-building brother Maurice and patriarch Lee decided to hang some new sheet metal on one of their 1966 chassis and things quickly turned around.
Richard had done very well with his 426-cubic-inch Hemi-powered 1966 chassis and that continued once the 1967 sheet metal was added to it. But certainly no one expected the kind of results that the car recorded once the season was over.
With his “face-lifted” Petty Blue Plymouth, Richard competed in 41 of the season’s 48 races and won 20 poles, was in the top-5 an amazing 38 times and in the top-10 on 40 occasions.
The 1967 season was also special for the family operation from the small rural town of Level Cross, North Carolina, as Richard’s Rebel 400 win with the car at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on May 13 was the first time a Petty had ever won on “The Track Too Tough To Tame.” Plus, it was his 55th victory, one more than his father’s previous career-record of 54.
Then, to show his Darlington win was not a fluke, Richard – who used a de-stroked 404-cubic-inch Hemi to save 200 pounds of weight and tires – won the pole for the September 4th Labor Day Southern 500 (143.437 mph) and led 345 of 364 laps to win the race by five laps over a very strong 44-car field in 3 hours 50 minutes and 15 seconds at an average speed of 130.423 mph.
As might be expected, Richard won the second of what would eventually be his seven (1964, 1967, 1971-1972, 1974-1975 & 1979) NASCAR Cup Series Championships with a car that ran under some different rules from previous years.
Now: the minimum weight of a NASCAR Grand National Stock Car was 3,500 pounds, a drop of some 500 pounds; the frames could be reinforced or altered for safety; and, cars with unit-body construction (like the 116-inch wheel-based Plymouth Belvedere) could have a purpose-built frame as long as the body’s original dimensions remained.
In addition: the hood height was lowered to 27 inches from the ground; engines had to use a production intake manifold, but the 426 Hemi could only use one 4-barrel carburetor; disc brakes were allowed; fuel cells were required; and, two sidebars were mandatory on the passenger side of the roll cage. And, interestingly enough, 1967 was also the second year that NASCAR made seat belts, crash helmets and shoulder harnesses mandatory.
Overall, the chassis under this historically-significant Plymouth Belvedere won 30 races in two years (the last part of 1966 and all of 1967). And when he was once asked what made it so special, Dale Inman – Richard’s cousin and crew chief – simply said, “Damned if we know.”
While the Petty Enterprises 1967 Plymouth Belvedere gets the gold star for its fantastic number of victories, its 1972 No. 43 STP Dodge Charger is rather noteworthy for the sponsorship that it had which forever changed the business model of American motorsports.
As the Pettys and all other teams knew prior to the end of 1971, 1972 was going to be a difficult year as all of the manufacturers were officially withdrawing from factory-backed racing. So how to move forward under such conditions was going to be a considerable task.
But something took place at the old 2-mile Texas World Speedway in College Station in early December which would help the Pettys with regard to their approaching lack of support from Chrysler Corporation.
There, while preparing for his December 12 victory in the last 500-mile race of the season, Richard had a casual Garage Area conversation with STP Corporation CEO Andy Granatelli.
Granatelli was an ex-racer and colorful character with lots of famous friends who was also a master self-promoter and promoter of his company’s products, especially at the Indy 500 where his pit crews wore pajama-like coveralls covered with STP logos.
But on a more-serious side, he and his brothers Vince and Joe were knowledgeable racers and mechanics who had been involved at the Indianapolis 500 for years, most famously in 1967 with the Parnelli Jones-driven four-wheel-drive No. 40 STP-Paxton Turbine that had victory in hand until a $6 transmission bearing failed with just three laps to go.
So, the day after their Texas talk, Granatelli called Richard and asked him to come to Chicago to discuss STP being the No. 43’s sponsor. And this plan was readily accepted, especially since Petty Enterprises was looking for more financing than what might come from local sources.
When Granatelli and Petty got together in the Windy City, they easily agreed on their initial $250,000 deal, plus a $50,000 bonus for winning the championship. But the flamboyant Granatelli wanted the car painted entirely in STP’s Day-Glo Red; a situation that Richard firmly resisted even though it would get him an extra $50,000. So the Petty Blue/STP Red color scheme was created and it is still one of the most famous paint jobs in auto racing history.
It must be understood that Petty Blue was something that was very important to Richard and his family. And it came about quite simply when Lee once didn’t have enough blue to paint one of his cars, so he mixed some white with what he had and the distinctive hue was born.
Now that the Petty Blue and STP Red livery was agreed to, things were able to move forward and Petty’s STP sponsorship proved to be a major motorsports milestone as it was the first such lucrative funding that was given to what was then a NASCAR Grand National team.
But the first car to be decorated in the iconic two-tone design was not the 1972 No. 43 STP Dodge Charger as Richard began the year in his 1972 No. 43 STP Plymouth Road Runner.
However, even though the Plymouth was doing quite well, on May 7 the STP Dodge – with a restrictor plate on its 426-cubic-inch Hemi engine – ran its first race at the Alabama International Motor Speedway in Talladega where Richard started third and finished seventh. And he went with the Charger body style as he felt that it had a slight aerodynamic advantage over the Plymouth; a brand that he had successfully raced for 14 seasons (1959-1972).
To that end, a look at the Charger shows that it is cleaner than the Road Runner with a smoother roof line and a sort of rear spoiler built into its deck lid, all of which helped with handling the air and corning at high speeds.
Originally built as a 1971 Dodge Charger for teammate Buddy Baker, Richard raced this 3,800-pound entry – with “The Racer’s Edge” in Petty Blue on its white front chin spoiler – 11 times during the 31-race 1972 NASCAR season. Yet while he did not win any races with it, he: won the pole (157.608 mph) at Michigan (August); was second in 500-milers at Dover (June) and Atlanta (July) and in the 400-miler at Daytona (July 4th); and, was third in the 400 at Michigan (June) and in the 500s at Darlington (September) and Texas (November).
With these results and the eight wins and two poles that he got in his Plymouth, Richard won the Winston Cup – the fourth of his eventual seven (1964, 1967, 1971-1972, 1974-1975 & 1979) NASCAR Cup Series titles – and that was a great way to start his association with STP.
STP’s Oil Treatment – and its other aftermarket products – was Richard’s primary sponsor for an unprecedented 21 seasons (1972-1992) as a driver (64 wins) and later through 2000 as a team owner. And that relationship continues today on a personal level with the seven-time (1964, 1966, 1971, 1973-1974, 1979 & 1981) Daytona 500 winner.
Plus, STP is an associate sponsor on the Ford Focus NASCAR Cup Series racers for Aric Almirola (No. 43) and Brian Scott (No. 44) and on Jeb Burton’s No. 43 Ford Focus NASCAR Xfinity Series ride that all come from Richard Petty Motorsports in Mooresville, North Carolina.
Ron Bouchard drove this Race Hill Farms NASCAR Cup car to victory in the Talladega 500 in 1981
Bouchard began his NASCAR career in 1981 in the No. 47 (Race Hill Farm team). He captured the 1981 NASCAR Rookie of the Year title even though he only raced in 22 of 31 events.
He posted 12 top 10 finishes in the 22 races, including his only career win, in the Talladega 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Running third to Darrell Waltrip and Terry Labonte on the last lap, he swooped under both of them as they battled side-by-side out of the final turn. The three cars crossed the finish line nearly simultaneously, with Bouchard winning in a photo finish.
After the race, Waltrip, who had been watching Labonte and not seen Bouchard pass him, asked, “Where the hell did he come from?”
Waltrip has stated in interviews over the race that part of the reason he lost was because he did not try to block Bouchard as he believed that Bouchard was a lap down.
Bouchard’s victory is considered by many as the biggest upset in NASCAR history and the win essentially clinched the Cup Series rookie of the year award for Bouchard.
