Being Petty's last winner is a 'heartbreaking' thought

The grandfather clock sits in his house, a permanent reminder of that race victory at Martinsville Speedway nearly a decade ago. John Andretti sees it every day. In times like these, its hourly chime must sound more mournful and ominous than usual.

Andretti was awarded the grandfather clock in Victory Lane on April 18, 1999, after an unlikely triumph on the Virginia short track in Petty Enterprises' flagship No. 43 car. It marks the last time a Petty car won a race in NASCAR's premier series -- and now that the company has been absorbed by Gillett Evernham Motorsports, it will go down as the 268th and final victory in the long history of a storied organization that produced 10 championships, but ultimately fell victim to a lack of sponsorship and a slumping economy.

Petty to GEM

• Merger talks in final stages
• History of Petty Enterprises
• Andretti gave Petty last win
• Driving Experience lasting
• By the Numbers: Petty

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• Petty Enterprises: Early Years
• Petty Enterprises: Later Years

"All of it right now is depressing," Andretti said of the recent events surrounding the Petty franchise. "Think of the number of years they've been in business, and what they've done, and the family keeping it going. I mean, [Richard Petty] is the King. It's been a really rough week from that standpoint. Even though I'm not there and working for Petty Enterprises, I feel the pain for them, because I know the people."

He knows the people well, having driven for Petty from 1998 until 2003, returning briefly for a few events during the 2007 season. Though he no longer has any formal association with the team, he's remained close to several people within the organization, among them vice president Robbie Loomis, his former crew chief. It's clear he still holds Richard Petty in great esteem. He jokes that his last name should be Andretti-Petty. He says he "bleeds Petty blue." He calls leaving the team the biggest mistake of his career.

It's almost as if the Pettys have a large, extended family, and Andretti is a part of it.

"My relationship with the Pettys is one where I'm always trying to think of a way I can help. Who knows, maybe there's a way," said Andretti, who competed in three Sprint Cup events in 2008, and is working to put together a ride for next year's Indianapolis 500. "Everybody, they make you feel like a member of their family, no matter who you are. They have events at their house, Richard and [wife] Linda do at their house. They bring out ponies for the kids to ride and they have all kinds of stuff. If you don't bring your family, you're frowned upon, because it's a family event. It's all about family." (Continued)