Petty excited about analyst work, even after strong run

When I called Kyle Petty on his cell phone Monday afternoon I got his voicemail. I wasn't surprised. In fact, I was kind of happy. After all, it was Memorial Day, the day after the Coca-Cola 600 where he finished third, his best finish since Dover on Sept. 21, 1997, when he finished third behind race-winner Mark Martin and runner-up Dale Earnhardt. For the record, Bobby Labonte finished fourth in that race.

On Monday I figured Kyle was relaxing, maybe on a boat on some lake or getting ready to grill out. That's OK, I'll get him on Tuesday.

Forty-five minutes later the phone rang. It was KP.

"I was at the driving range," he said.

"Yeah, I try to go to the driving range on Mondays. It helps to get some of the soreness out. It's a good day to go to the range but Monday is not a good day to play golf."

Especially after 600 miles on Sunday night.

"I hit 'em OK. Nothing big."

So, my first question to him? Are you still coming with us in two weeks?

"Oh, shoot. Yeah, man," he said.

Boy was that refreshing, because after the race on Sunday I started thinking, well, third is an inspiring finish, even more so when you haven't had one in, ah, 10 years. So I was wondering ...

"Yeah, and they asked me about that after the race," Petty said. "They said 'So, you still going to the booth for TNT?' Heck yeah I'm still going."

Petty will join six-year veteran Wally Dallenbach in the booth when TNT begins its coverage of the Nextel Cup series at Pocono in June. Petty will be in the booth for five of the races, and he will report from his car on the road course at Sonoma.

"A couple of reporters asked me about it, but this just makes it easier to climb out of the car and go to the booth," Petty said. "It makes it easier because it shows to me that the team is getting stronger and building. Now I don't have to feel bad about putting someone in the car and it not running good. Our guys haven't quit working and this is a good finish for them and a good finish for Petty Enterprises."

"My deal is a lot like Mark's [Martin] deal. He made a plan and when he was leading the championship people expected him to make a change. He made a plan and didn't deviate from it. I'm 26th in points, I'm at a different place in my career." (Continued)