What makes a good performance vehicle? Well, the engine, of course, right? Not if you ask one of the most winning racecar drivers in history. That man is Richard Petty and his answer to that question might surprise you. The Petty name has been associated with performance vehicles and engines for decades, and “The King” himself knows performance like no other.
In this final episode of the Continental Tire Interview series Richard Petty, Petty shares what his “ideal engine” entails, what he thinks makes a good performance vehicle and how the performance of NASCAR cars, as well as the sport of racing, has evolved.
Let us help you navigate his episode and hear from “The King” on the specifics of performance engines:
- Petty describes what makes a good performance vehicle (0:40)
- Petty details his ideal engine and what me likes most about performance engines today (1:43)
- Why Petty feels he wouldn’t adapt to today’s generation of racing and how racecars have changed since he was a driver (4:47)
- The aspects of NASCAR Petty likes today and the aspects he prefers from his time as a driver compared to today (6:09)
- One of the biggest highlights from Petty’s career that stands out the most to him (8:38)
- Why Petty never had any superstitions or rituals before races (9:37)
- How Petty GMS Motorsports is brining back the Petty family’s signature number and its significance to Petty himself (10:26)
- Why Petty believes there’s a “changing of the guard” in NASCAR and racing today (11:56)
This interview is part four of a four-part series with Richard Petty in which we discuss a variety of topics, including his racing career, time as a team owner, the evolution of tire and vehicle technology and his love of engines and performance vehicles.
To watch all three parts, click the links below.
Ep. 1- Petty Details the Historic Builds He’s Working on with Continental
Ep. 2: How Race Tire Technology Has Evolved & Petty’s Stories from Tire Testing
Ep. 3: Petty’s Lessons on Business in the Automotive Industry
