Petty-Andretti Family Connection Brings Famous '43' To Indy

By Eric Powell
indy500.com

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

For "The King" of stock car racing, Richard Petty, and Indianapolis native John Andretti, their partnership in the 2009 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race is about much more than competition. It's about family, because for all intents and purposes, they are family.

At a press conference April 6 at the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in a crowded room overlooking the iconic "Yard of Bricks" at the start-finish line, Petty and Andretti never stopped smiling as they unveiled the No. 43 Dallara/Honda/Firestone entry that Andretti will drive from the first day of practice for "500" on Wednesday, May 6.

Andretti's car, which will be maintained by veteran IndyCar Series team Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, will carry primary sponsorship from Window World along with the legendary light blue and day-glo orange colors made famous by Petty. Andretti and D&R co-owner Dennis Reinbold are longtime friends.

"I probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for John," said Petty, the seven-time NASCAR champion who has fielded cars in the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard since 1994, but never an IndyCar. "John talked me into it. He drove for me for a bunch of years, we got to be real close. He asked me what I thought of doing something (at Indianapolis), and I can't think of a better situation for it to come in."

Adding to the family atmosphere for Petty, a native of Level Cross, N.C., is that Window World is based in a community steeped in NASCAR lore: North Wilkesboro, N.C.

"Everything just fell in together, the right circumstances, and here we are," said Petty.

Andretti, the nephew of 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner Mario Andretti, has driven for a Who's Who of legendary names on both the IndyCar and stock car sides of motorsports: the Granatelli family, Jim Hall and A.J. Foyt at the Indianapolis 500, and Petty, Cale Yarborough and Dale Earnhardt in stock cars.

Andretti carries one of the most famous names in racing, but he said the relationship he built with Petty and his wife, Lynda, is what made Petty's historic presence at the Indianapolis 500 possible.

"My time driving for Richard was some of the best times I ever had," Andretti said. "He treats people beyond what you can think, and he's the exact person you think he is.

"He and 'Miss Lynda' have been a big part of our family. I've always said that my last name might be Andretti, but a lot of people can call me 'An-Petty' because I really feel close to them, and I'm excited to be a part of it."

Petty gained fortune and fame compiling one of the most impressive resumes in racing history in cars with fenders: seven NASCAR championships, 200 race wins and seven Daytona 500 wins. But The King plans to spend plenty of time in Indianapolis in May 2009 as an active participant with the No. 43 Window World team, and he already has started preparations by studying the rich 100-year history of IMS.

Petty was asked how it makes him feel to know that at this time 100 years ago, construction equipment was grading the 2.5-mile IMS oval, and he will get to spend considerable time at IMS during one of its most significant years.

"It makes you feel old," he said with a laugh. "I haven't been around quite that many years, but they weren't but 30 years ahead of me. Knowing what this racetrack has meant to the racing world - throughout the world - is special, and it has just kept growing and growing.

"I read the history of how it all developed, and that was really interesting. They had a bunch of (automobile) factories here in Indy. They used to fly planes out of here, balloons, motorcycles, they raced everything that could be raced.

"Just seeing all the history, the names that have come through racing, it's just unreal to be here from that standpoint, because you're walking in the middle of history."

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