Inside the Halls of Petty: Andretti right at home

Hey fans, this is John Andretti. As many of you know I am on a "reunion tour" with Petty Enterprises. Like anyone who has ever strapped themselves behind the wheel of a Petty Enterprises car, I have a deep respect for this organization. We had some great years together. I feel like we can recapture some of that magic in the next few weeks.

Being a part of the Petty family for so long has been pretty special. Having raced the famous 43, the same number that The King drove to seven championships, was pretty surreal. It's an honor to step behind the wheel of any Petty Enterprises machine. That's why I'm glad to be a part of this.

I've had good memories with Petty Enterprises. In 1998, we finished 11th in points and were looking for even better things in 1999. I am proud to say that year we went to Victory Lane at the Martinsville Speedway. Winning in a Petty car at Martinsville is one of the highlights of my career. That track is right in the backyard of their Level Cross [N.C.] shop and they have a tremendous record there.

My first race back with Petty Enterprises was this past weekend at Michigan. Just being around the garage area with the Pettys was a great feeling. Things change, but they stay the same, too. Everyone made me feel like part of the team.

Like all of the Dodge teams, we struggled a little in finding what the Charger needed to get around Michigan. Billy Wilburn, however, is a well-respected crew chief. He is definitely worthy of his reputation. Each time he made an adjustment the car was better. We all worked together as a team and were able to grind out a 27th-place finish. Obviously we were not happy with that finish, but I believe we are going to be able to build on some things that we learned.

Kyle gets back in the car this weekend at Sonoma. He'll be doing commentary for TNT while he is driving. I can't wait to hear that. He has done an awesome job in the broadcast booth. He is insightful and entertaining at the same time. I know he is ready to get back in the car, too. He has put this 45 team in a good position this year. I'm proud to be a part of it this year. We just want to make it better the next few weeks.

My next race will be at the New Hampshire International Speedway. That will be my first race in the Dodge Avenger. The new car is different than anything I have ever driven, but it is still a racecar. It still has four wheels and a motor.

Petty Enterprises has done a lot of homework on the new car. We had a very good test with it last week at Milwaukee, which is 1-mile oval similar to NHIS. I am looking forward to seeing how the new car races. They have put on some good shows with it this year.

Like I said, it feels great to be back in the Cup Series with Petty Enterprises. My job is to keep building the momentum that Kyle and Billy have built all season. Chad did a good job at Pocono and I just want to keep that going. I know Kyle and Billy are doing everything right to lead this team back to their rightful place, Victory Lane. We're all looking forward to the next few races together.

See you in Loudon,
John Andretti