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Wednesday, June 6 Petty team has three wins since '84 By Jerry Bonkowski ESPN.com Even though school is out for the summer across the United States, it's time for Petty Enterprises to go back to the blackboard and learn how to be a winning, successful team again. It truly pains me to see how a once glorious team has slipped into the depths of mediocrity, a turn of events that continues to spiral laterally at best, if not downward, with each successive season. When Richard Petty's prodigal son, Kyle, rejoined the team in 1999 after 14 years on his own, many believed it would pay great dividends to a team mired in the middle of the pack since Richard's last win in 1983. Granted, Bobby Hamilton won two races for the team in 1996 and '97, and John Andretti captured his only victory for the team in 1999, but what had once been NASCAR's cream of the crop had dissolved into nothing more than an also-ran. That is a shame. Unfortunately, Kyle's return to Petty Enterprises as a driver has done nothing for the team's performance. If anything, it has slipped further the last two seasons -- and continues to slide more in 2001. At the risk of being sacrilegious, it's time for Kyle to give serious consideration to stepping out from behind the wheel and go about the task of rebuilding the team from scratch. It's long overdue. While there are few people in racing that work harder than Petty, let's face it: like father, unlike son. And while Lady Luck and Richard Petty were on a first-name basis, she has become Kyle's jilted ex-girlfriend, forever destined to make his racing life miserable. The Petty name has been both a blessing and a curse to Kyle. When he first entered Winston Cup competition in 1979, the comparisons were inevitable. Kyle was being groomed to pick up where Richard left off. Unfortunately, the comparisons became too much for the younger Petty. After six seasons of racing for the team owned by his father and grandfather, Lee, Kyle took a 14-year leave of absence from the Petty tradition, name and team. While the pressure was still there, driving for other teams lessened it. Such a turn in career direction is understandable. After all, no one has come close to Petty Enterprises and the incredible 200 career wins amassed by Kyle's father. And with the nearest active challengers being more than 140 wins behind (Jeff Gordon and Rusty Wallace), it's a mark that likely will never be broken. Yet today, Petty Enterprises is but a shell of its former self. They've managed -- brace yourself for this -- only three wins since 1984, having gone winless until 1996. Richard himself admitted in a recent interview "things got away from us" over the years since the last three victories of his career in 1983. There were bad decisions, failures to capitalize on opportunities, wrong personnel and more. Most importantly, the team tried to live on the laurels of the Petty name for too long, and the results show. And even though there are still thousands of loyal Petty fans, there are also thousands of others who have defected to follow more successful drivers. Unfortunately, success continues to remain out of reach. That's why Kyle needs to step out of the car and step into the role of full-time owner. He needs to devote all his energy into resurrecting a once-proud team from near-obscurity. What Kyle lacks in success on the track (only eight career Cup wins), he more than makes up for with intelligence. He's one of the smartest, well-spoken team owners on the circuit. Plus, his world reaches far beyond NASCAR. Petty has interests in innumerable subjects as far away from racing as you can get. While many other drivers and owners are unpredictable and boisterous, Petty is thoughtful, methodical and reserved. Perhaps that's why he's been called NASCAR's "Renaissance Man." Racing needs Kyle more than Kyle needs racing. Yet, if Richard's only son would devote his attention to breathing new life into the team, I'm confident the results would be forthcoming. But Kyle can't continue to try and do everything himself. He can't be owner, driver, sponsor showpiece, manager, overseer and babysitter all at the same time. That's exactly what is wrong with Petty Enterprises. Kyle tries to do too much, thus diluting his attention, and the entire three-car team tries to be too many things to too many people. It's a formula destined for failure. Look at this season: the team expanded to three cars with Andretti and Petty joined by Buckshot Jones. Granted, the teams have some strong sponsors, but what has the overall effort been able to produce in the first 13 races this season? Not much. Andretti's posted a second-place run at Bristol and a sixth-place effort at Darlington, but he's also had five finishes of 35th or worst. Since joining Petty in 1998, Andretti has slipped from 11th to 17th to 23rd in the standings each year. He is currently 30th. Petty's top finish this season has been 16th at Daytona. Since rejoining the team, Kyle has finished 26th and 41st in the standings. He's currently in 44th, having qualified for only eight of the season's 13 races. And Jones' top finish has been 16th at Talladega. He's currently 39th in the standings. There's an old saying that goes "you can either do a lot of things good or one thing great." That's what I see in Petty Enterprises. The team continues to tread on legend and legacy. It tries to please too many sponsors and supporters, when in the long run it winds up being a disappointment in the standings. And in the long run, it continues to drift aimlessly, hoping for a miracle likely never to arrive. Petty Enterprises has become the Chicago Cubs of stock-car racing: they may have a few minutes in the sun every few years, but when it comes to being a legitimate championship contender, it's always "Wait 'til next year." What Petty Enterprises needs is a complete overhaul. Get rid of the three teams and focus on having only one team for as long as it takes to get the store in order. Give it the best driver, sponsor, crew chief, engines and chassis. Don't spare money, go full bore. Then, when the time is right and success has once again become the rule rather than the exception, add a second car and driver. Granted, Adam Petty was to be the future of the team. Unfortunately, the promising 19-year-old died tragically a little over a year ago. There's no question Kyle and everyone else at Petty Enterprises that knew Adam still grieve over his loss every day. But there's nothing that can be done about that anymore. It's time to move on. Racing is the Petty family business, and getting back to racing -- and being legitimate threats to win every week -- is everyone's business on that team. And the business of winning races is one Petty Enterprises needs to get back into in the worst way. Jerry Bonkowski covers NASCAR for ESPN.com.  Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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