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Kyle Petty was born into the NASCAR world.
He is the son of Richard Petty, whose nickname “The King” has a weight all of its own. Kyle is a third generation driver who proudly carries the torch. In his autobiography, Swerve or Die: Life at My Speed in the First Family of NASCAR Racing, the 62-year-old describes the life and legacy of racing through life at your own pace.
A legacy rooted in NASCAR began with his grandfather Lee, who competed in the sport’s inaugural race and later became a pioneer of stock car racing. The legacy continued with arguably the greatest racer of all time, Richard Petty. The racing gene was passed on to Kyle, who passed it on to his son Adam, who was said to be the first fourth-generation athlete in modern American sports. Adam died in a head-on collision while practicing for his 48th pro race in 2000.
His death was one of three incidents in 2000 that led to a number of safety features in NASCAR today, such as the kill switch. Throughout his autobiography, Kyle Petty highlighted his family’s adaptation and acceptance of the sport’s development.
“Change has always been a part of NASCAR, so why should we stop now?” he writes in his autobiography. “It’s about changing sport and making sport more inclusive.”
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This change is one he’s absolutely proud of.
During a Zoom interview with Fox News Digital, Petty talks about his family’s life and legacy and how its evolution aligns with the sport he’s dedicated his life to.
Fox News Digital: The title is provocative. Why do you think this is the perfect time to publish your autobiography?
Kyle Petty: The pandemic made me release it. For the first time in my life I’ve had the opportunity to just stop and look back at things I’ve done, places I’ve gone. I have a lot of crazy stories. When the pandemic started I started writing some stories about my wife Morgan, my three little boys and racing. Then it kind of evolved. I got in touch with Elice (Henican) and we started writing. It’s about the things I’ve been through, good or bad. It’s about changing direction. If you don’t change direction, you can die. You basically stop living. It’s also about our sport as a chameleon and how it has changed and continues to grow and be relevant. You know what we’ve been through for the past few years with everything in society, with Bubba Wallace, with the Confederate flag. It found a way to stay relevant, to change, to try to be more inclusive, to be more welcoming. And the sport keeps striving. Hence the title a little bit.
As a third-generation NASCAR driver, how did you find your way around? Was there pressure? Has it weighed on you at any moment?
I never felt there was any pressure. Some people say it’s a double-edged sword. I only saw it when I was single–edgy. My grandfather won three championships, 50 races. My father won seven championships, 200 races. I won a few races. Then a son, Adam, came along. There were four of us, but we were all allowed to be who we were and what we wanted to be. If you had the opportunity to sit my grandfather down and talk to him and sit my father down and then sit me down and then sit down Adam, you would leave that conversation and say, ‘These four guys don’t even know each other.’ And we were all so different.
I never wanted to be my father or grandpa. I didn’t want to be a clone. I had to be Kyle. Adam had to be Adam.
From an early age, you tell your son Adam to do what makes him happy. When did you learn this lesson on your journey?
I think I was about Adam’s age – 13 or 14.
I realized that my father was special. Even in a time when there were so many great racers and so much greatness going on in NASCAR, he was a notch above everyone at the time. I looked at Bobby Allison and David Pierce. I looked at the big ones from back then. And I’m like, ‘Man, if they can’t do this, how am I supposed to do it?’ You know, I’m just better at being myself. My mom had a lot to do with it. I am more like my mother than my father in many ways. She had a lot to do with teaching us—even my three sisters. My mother assured us that we didn’t have to live up to our last name, Petty, or chase something we’d never get. Just be happy with what you were.
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As for controversial races, Bobby Hillins crashed at the 1993 Daytona 500. Do you think you could have won the race if it wasn’t for the crash?
No, because so many other things can happen. I think people want to point that out and see it that way. If that were the case, I would have a trophy and we wouldn’t be having this conversation. You can’t see it that way. I tell people, ‘You can be like any professional athlete or any 4-year-old. You can blame someone else, but you can’t.’ Overall we had a great year after that so I have nothing to complain about. It’s not something that comes to mind.
Explain the 1996 protest car that mimicked Dale Earnhardt’s car. You were able to excite your fans, which sparked a change. After this incident, did you feel a sense of power and influence that you may not have felt before?
Not really. You know, I laughed at that. I approached it with an open mind and had a lot of fun. I was amazed at the reaction of the fans and how they got behind it. It’s like one of those things where you just make up a slogan and put it on a t-shirt. Next thing you know, you’ve sold over 15 million shirts. It was a joke. But listen, there’s nothing better than NASCAR fans. They are the most amazing, most loyal. If they draw for you, they draw for you. But let me tell you, when they pull on you, they pull on you hard.
Philanthropy is something you care about. Talk about the importance of Victory Junction and Charity Ride Across America.
We only ride motorcycles because of my love for motorcycles. We wanted to drive from California to North Carolina. We started this in 1995 with a couple of my friends, but we also wanted to help families. We stopped at various children’s hospitals to help families pay for their medical expenses. That’s what it was about. Having a child with a chronic illness, a life-threatening illness, who has spent so much time in the hospital can be financially disastrous for families. Then in 2000, when my oldest son Adam was killed in a racing accident in New Hampshire, we just talked about building camp and built Camp Victory Junction. The camp has hosted nearly 100,000 children from all 50 states for free since it opened in 2004. We’ve raised over $20 million since opening. It was incredibly special to watch the people who helped set up the camp and continue to help support the camp.
In your book you mention that while NASCAR races are on Sundays, the business is Monday through Saturday. How were you able to successfully master both the business and the actual race?
It’s a tough balance. It’s almost as if racing is your side hustle. Your main business is being a businessman and trying to put everything together. Over the years, you’ll still need to find sponsors, which in itself is difficult. That’s one thing. Our sport is heavily powered by OPM: other people’s money. As a driver, I was more successful when I didn’t have to look for money. As an owner, it’s difficult. You have your good days and your bad days. At the end of the day we signed up for it.
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Are sponsors concerned about the risk? How did you learn to simplify the process of finding sponsors?
NASCAR has done a great job, from softer walls to the cars we have now. Many companies see NASCAR as a selling point for their advertising and customers. There was a time when many looked at the dark side of the sport based on the possibilities of what could happen. I don’t think that’s the case now. That’s been a big issue for the last 15 or 20 years.
As a commentator, how do you use your platform to educate current riders and advance the sport?
I have such a broad knowledge of the sport that when I say something, people look and say, ‘Oh, well, that could be true. He’s been here a while.’ Our fan base has also gained knowledge. At the same time, we need to be honest with them in our analysis and tell them things they might not want to hear. I guess that’s where I come in. i speak the truth If you don’t like it, I’m sorry. We all have opinions and so do I. More importantly, I come from a place where I’m pretty confident my opinion is close.
At the end of the book you will talk about the development of sport and how it is changing based on today’s social events. How important is the development of sport in relation to diversity, inclusion and green energy?
First, our sport was born in the south. It was like that then because it was a different time. My father, Richard Petty, was born in the middle of it. To see a man who attended NASCAR’s first-ever major race in 2020 stand next to Bubba Wallace and help him remove the Confederate flag was a huge moment. NASCAR is inclusive and welcoming. As for green energy, everyone will point to motorsport because we use fossil fuels. All I’m saying is, “Every time the Yankees get on a plane to go somewhere and play ball, they use fossil fuels.” How does all this work? I don’t have all the answers. What I do know is that NASCAR has been at the forefront and the sport is going in the right direction.
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How do you define success at this moment in your life and career?
For me, success is getting up in the morning. My wife Morgan and I have been together for six years. We have three great little boys. I have to be the best father I can be. That’s how I define success. I won races. i was on tv It’s not about those things anymore. It’s about my family, my friends, about changing the sport of NASCAR, making it more inclusive, and being a leader in the industry to make the sport greener. It’s about taking the sport in a direction that everyone wants to be in, like they did in the NFL, basketball and baseball. Most importantly, when my little boys say “daddy,” that’s my biggest achievement.