OAKS, PA January 28, 2018 . . . One of the best-known names in motorsports, Darrell Waltrip, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame plus a Fox TV personality will be a headliner at the Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2019 Race Car & Trade Show presented by Sunoco and distributed by Insinger Performance. The three-day show, now in its 34th consecutive year, will take place January 18-20, 2019 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA.
This will be Waltrip’s first appearance at the PPB Motorsports show.
During his NASCAR Cup Series career that started back in 1972 at Talladega Superspeedway Waltrip was able to tally 84 victories of which 37 happened on Superspeedways. He earned 59 Cup poles. He is the only driver to win $500,000 in a season 18 times. And in 1990 he became the first Cup driver to win $10 million.
The 71-year-old was not only a big winner in Cup Series racing but also won in the NASCAR Busch Series, ASA, IROC, ARCA, NASCAR All-American Challenge Series, All-Pro, USAC and ARTGO Challenge Series. He was also a top competitor on short tracks in the Tennessee area when first starting his career.
The popular FOXSports TV personality, an analyst during the FOX coverage of NASCAR events, will be on center stage at the show on Saturday afternoon for two hours to talk about his racing career, TV work, books, movies, and so much more that has been part of his colorful career. Attendees will be free to ask the man named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers questions. And, of course, there will be autographs.
Fans might even want to ask him about a good deal on a new or used car at his Darrell Waltrip Automotive Group located in Franklin, TN, near Nashville. The huge dealership offers Honda, Volvo, Subaru, Buick, GMC and over 5000 certified pre-owned cars.
The Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2019 Race Car & Trade Show Fueled by Sunoco and Distributed by Insinger Performance, which fills 250,000 square feet of show space with just about everything imaginable in motorsports, includes free seminars, autograph opportunities, a large number of speedway and sanctioning organization displays plus the famous Ms. Motorsports Pageant.
Many organizations and speedways use the show to announce their schedules for the next racing season.
Many well-known racers and personalities will be a part of the three day show.
Additional news about show attractions will be announced in coming weeks.
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center proves to be a popular location for the show because it is easy to get to and offers free parking.
For more information check in at www.motorsportstradeshow.com. And for those looking to be a part of the displays quickly filling the show contact Danny@aarn.com.
OAKS, PA January 2, 2017 . . . When legendary Sprint car racer Steve Kinser announced his retirement last season after racing in an Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions event at Lebanon Valley, New York Speedway it caught most by surprise. Kinser, winner of 876 Sprint car feature races during this career, will be talking about his retirement and more when he appears at the Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2018 Racecar and Trade Show Fueled by Sunoco and Distributed by Insinger Performance at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA on Saturday, January 20. The popular show runs January 19 through 21st.
The 20-time World of Outlaws champion will do a one hour one-on-one interview, take questions from the audience and sign autographs at the stage area starting at 3 p.m.
Kinser, 63 years old, will talk about life on the road, his big wins, the hardest challenges and his 577 WoO victories earned during his five decades of racing.
The most successful Sprint car driver in the history of the sport earned victories in the Knoxville Nationals (twelve times) and had seven Kings Royal victories.
In addition to success in Sprint cars he also was a winner at Talladega Superspeedway in a 1994 International Race of Champions along with finishing 40th in the 1995 Daytona 500 and 14th in the 1997 Indianapolis 500.
Much like Richard Petty has been named the “King” in NASCAR, Kinser has been labeled the “King” in Sprint cars.
Kinser will be joining three time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart at the Motorsports show along with former NASCAR Cup crew chief and FOX TV personality Larry MacReynolds, World of Outlaw standout David Gravel and a number of local and regional racing talents.
The three day show offering just about everything imaginable in motorsports is set for January 19-21 and will offer more than 250 racing vehicles and displays filling the 250,000 square feet of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA.
The 33rd annual show opens on Friday, January 19th at 2 p.m. and closes at 9. Doors open on Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. The box office and D-Hall exhibit area opens one hour earlier each day.
Check out www.motorsportstradeshow.com or call 609-888-3618 for further information
OAKS, PA OCTOBER 18, 2017 . . . Continuing with their efforts to keep everyone informed as to the latest news pertaining to the Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2018 presented by Sunoco and fueled by Insinger Performance show a new website, www.motorsportstradeshow.com, is now up and operating.
With the 33rd edition of the popular race car and trade show set to take place January 19-21, 2018, just three months away, there will be much happening in regards to show activities and the new website, designed for easy use will be jam-packed with the latest information as the show dates come closer.
“Those interested in having the latest show information, show hours, ticket info, announcements of added personalities will only have to go to www.motorsportstradeshow.com for updates,” said show promoter Len Sammons. “We are always looking to make it easier for people to stay up-to-date and informed on the show. You’ll also find everything you need to know to exhibit at the event.”
The show is presented at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA and all 250,000 square feet show display space will be filled with just about everything imaginable in motorsports including over 200 race cars of all kinds.
“Exhibitors are encouraged to share their show plans, specials, and announcements with us beforehand so we can build some buzz leading into the event,” said Sammons.
With the Tony Stewart announcement that the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will be meeting with fans and signing autographs on January 20th (12 noon to 2 p.m.) interest is running high and will continue to grow during the weeks leading up to the show.
“The new website is the first step in introducing a more interactive show where fans and exhibitors have the opportunity to engage outside of the aisle ways,” said website creator Jay Dugan of the Radical Design Group.
Exhibitors and those planning to be exhibitors have all the information they need on the new website to plan their participation.
“The show floor is nearly 75% full,” said Sammons. “Companies looking to exhibit are encouraged to contact show manager Danny Sammons at 609-888-3618 for available show space before it’s too late.”
Exhibitors can register for space here
Information is also available by emailing motorsports@aarn.com. “Like” Motorsports Race Car and Trade Show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MotorsportsTradeShow.
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.
