Inside the Halls of Petty: Welcome back Andretti

Hey Petty fans, this is Robbie Loomis. I'm back again to give you a perspective into what I see as vice president of operations for Petty Enterprises. These next few weeks will be an exciting time for our organization. We have a lot of things going on that you should keep your eyes on.

Pocono was a solid weekend for us. Mother Nature would not allow us to get in all 200 laps on Sunday and that was unfortunate as both of our cars were getting stronger as the race progressed. Bobby Labonte finished 19th in the No. 43 Dodge. That keeps him within striking distance of the 12th spot for the Chase for the championship. That is a big focus of ours. We have been absent from the Chase for the last three years and we are working hard to change that.

Inside Petty

Each week on NASCAR.COM, Robbie Loomis will take fans "Inside the Halls of Petty Enterprises." A championship-winning crew chief, Loomis has 26 victories atop the pit box and as Vice President of Operations oversees both Petty cars.

Chad McCumbee had a very good day in his Nextel Cup debut. He ran a smart race. He made moves when the opportunity presented itself. He communicated well with his crew chief, Bill Wiburn. He did an outstanding job getting in and out of his pit box, something that should not be overlooked. Pit road was a busy place due to very few cautions. The 22-year-old already races like a veteran. Not to mention the fact that he won Saturday's ARCA race by 2.5 seconds. He has a very bright future in this sport. The kids that are out there running go-karts and Late Models should look at Chad as an example of how hard work can make your dreams come true.

I also have to give credit to Tim Andrews. Tim, who is the son of the No. 43 crew chief Paul Andrews, finished third in the ARCA race at Pocono. The young Andrews also sat on the pole for the race. His No. 4 Dodge Charger was a former Petty Enterprises chassis that was fielded by Cunningham Motorsports. Cunningham Motorsports is a Dodge development team that Tim will drive five races for this season. He is definitely a driver to watch for in the future.

Michigan International Speedway is next on the schedule. Drivers love Michigan because there is tons of room to race and pass. If your setup is not dead on, you can move around and find where your car works the best. The races at Michigan tend to go long spans without cautions so your pit crew is vital there as well. Our crews have been spot on here lately and I know that will continue this weekend.

A win at Michigan is coveted in much the same way as a win at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Detroit is the home of the Big Three manufacturers and is the automobile capital of the country. Petty Enterprises has been very successful at Michigan and we are heading up north to grab another checkered flag in front of the Dodge reps that have been so good to us.

A familiar face will be behind the wheel of the No. 45 Dodge this weekend. John Andretti, who has made countless laps at Michigan, will begin his four-race stint in place of Kyle Petty. John gave Petty Enterprises our last win at Martinsville in 1999. He is a veteran racer who will give us a consistent, calm presence behind the wheel.

I will have to say that Kyle did a great job in the television booth. We miss him around the garage area and around the team, but he is showing the rest of the country why he is such a popular figure in our sport. Kyle is as knowledgeable as anyone about the sport of stock-car racing. He will continue to do a great job for TNT and we will continue to work hard in his absence.

See you in Victory Lane,
Robbie Loomis