One year later: Peers remember Adam Petty

By Marty Smith, Turner Sports Interactive
May 10, 2001
3:05 PM EDT (1905 GMT)

CONCORD, N.C. -- When the NASCAR Busch Series haulers file into New Hampshire International Speedway Friday morning to kick off the CVS 200 race weekend, the usual buzz of excitement in the garage will be replaced with a reflective silence.

One year ago Saturday, Adam Petty, the first fourth-generation professional athlete ever, was killed during a crash in practice at NHIS.

He was just 19 years old.

Video: Kyle Petty speaks  Marty Smith Commentary: Adam's smile

Suddenly, the kid with the infectious smile and unyielding determination was gone, and the effect it had on his family, fellow competitors and everyone else in the racing community for that matter, was gut wrenching.

Adam Petty

"There's not many ways to explain it, it was just completely somber, shock, disbelief," Hank Parker Jr., said. "It was one of those things that just doesn't, couldn't happen to somebody that's that good of a guy. It was just so hard to swallow.

"To be honest, it's hard to remember. It was so bad it's kind of hard to remember because you just want to block it out so bad. The thoughts that were going through your mind was so much disbelief. It was so hard to deal with."

Despite the pain and disbelief, the race went on a day later, with Tim Fedewa leading a somber field to the checkered flag in the New Hampshire 200. And despite it being his first victory since 1998, it was virtually impossible to Fedewa to feel much joy. His little buddy was gone.

"There was something missing, for sure, that whole weekend," Fedewa said. "I didn't actually find out about Adam's death until after qualifying. It was, to say the least, a shock to everybody. You know, you experience death throughout your life with different people and relatives, and most of the situations I've had to deal with have been someone who's sick or old and you've had time to prepare for it.

Hank Parker Jr. (pictured) and Adam Petty both broke into the Busch Series full-time in 1999.

"But something that sudden and someone that young just totally caught me off guard and everyone else, too, I guess. So the weekend went on and everybody was literally in a state of shock. We didn't want to be there. None of us wanted to be there. None of us wanted to race, none of the officials wanted to officiate and NASCAR didn't want to be there.

"But we had to. That's what Adam would have wanted, for the race to go on. The Pettys wanted the race to go on. After I had won the race, all you really thought about was you wanted to be happy, but you couldn't, you were sad. It was tough for me, I hadn't won a race in a couple years, so I had a lot of emotion, but I had emotion for Adam, too. The loss we all felt I think overwhelmed everything else."

And while Petty's death sent tremors throughout the NASCAR family, it stung to the core at Petty Enterprises. Adam Petty was the future that all involved at Petty Enterprises were building towards, and the void left in Randleman, N.C., is one that may never be filled.

"There's no hiding it that Kyle and all of Petty Enterprises really, had a plan. And that plan, of course, centered around Adam," said John Andretti, driver of the Petty Enterprises No. 43 Dodge. "I think that that plan made a lot of sense to everyone involved. May 12th last year, that plan changed dramatically.

"Kyle, The King, Pattie and Lynda, those people are the only ones who can say what the ultimate plan has changed to. I think that for me, it's been really difficult because I feel close to the Petty organization, I feel close to the family, and I feel like I was going to get to be a part of somebody's future and significant future.

"Anybody who knows the Pettys, you can't help but feel a huge emptiness, knowing what kind of people they are and how good they are.

Tim Fedewa won the New Hampshire 200 the day after Adam's death.

"Adam was Petty through and through. You couldn't help but really like Adam Petty. I'm more than 15 years older than Adam, and I felt like we were the same age. I'm just a few years behind Kyle, and Kyle and he were the ultimate buddies. It's something that can never be righted. Nobody looks to do that. Words can't express what you feel or where it all goes.

"The only thing that has changed is I'm probably more driven to be successful than ever because then I can still feel like I was doing something for somebody, that being the Petty family and, more specifically, Adam.

"Nothing would be more important to me than to see Kyle Petty start winning races. He's worked so hard on this team, and he and his family have bored such a load. It's real difficult. You spend a whole year thinking about it, and you still can't talk about it and have it make sense."

John Andretti has driven for Petty Enterprises since 1998.

It won't ever make sense. It can't.

"Adam was so full of life and just awful happy to be where he was. He knew how lucky he was, and he made everyone else realize it, too," said Parker Jr.

He's gone, but far from forgotten.

"Every time I see the 45 car that his Dad's driving I think of Adam," Fedewa said. "I'm getting ready to do Kyle's Charity Ride again and we had so much fun on that last year. Now I think about how Adam's not gonna be there this year - that big smile."

Kyle Petty is driving his son's familiar No. 45. The team switched to Dodge for the 2001 season.

That big smile. Petty's toothy, ear-to-ear grin was his trademark, and brightened up even the dreariest of days for those in the garage.

"Any time you seen Adam he had a big smile on his face," Fedewa said. "It didn't matter what the situation was. Adam lived to drive race cars, period. A lot of people that don't know him say, hey, he's a Petty. That's what he's supposed to do. Even though he was a Petty, that kid, he was crazy about it. He loved it.

"He wanted to show everyone he could drive and make a name for himself. He wanted to show that Adam Petty could do it. He was so determined. A lot of people might not know that because he was so young, and he never got a chance to establish a career and show people how really, really serious he was. That bothers me a lot.

"When we were at Texas I thought about Adam making his first Winston Cup race and how happy he was about that. So everywhere you go you have a memory of him, especially going into New Hampshire. Not only Adam, but Kenny (Irwin) as well.

"This is our first time back in the Busch cars since both accidents happened, so I think everybody's gonna be a little uneasy going in there and definitely reflecting back on Adam and Kenny."