The King finally ventures out into the open (wheel) (cont'd)

For years, John Andretti, nephew of Mario Andretti and godson to Foyt, prodded Petty to field a car in the Indianapolis 500. However, he couldn't even get the King to come to a race until just last year.

"It was the first time I'd ever been here at the 500," Petty said. "I remember as a kid growing up listening to it on the radio while under a stock car getting ready for the weekend."

“

We are vested in what's going on, OK? Because it's not just a publicity stunt. We're up here; we're serious with this deal.

”

RICHARD PETTY

Much to his surprise, the race was everything he expected and more. Petty was completely taken by all the pageantry.

"You see all the hullabaloo that goes on to begin with, all the people wandering up and down pit road, singing Back Home in Indiana, all that. A lot of times you build things up, and once you go to them you're kind of disappointed because maybe you set your standard too high for that event. But this one covered everything that I ever thought about. So I think I got kind of caught up in it. That was one of John's initial deals. He figured if he could get me here, get me all excited in what I seen, then maybe he could talk me into being involved. Basically that's what happened."

And with a little Southern charm from a sponsor in North Wilkesboro, N.C., Petty was sold on the arrangement.

"John approached me on this deal, then we got Window World, a bunch of North Wilkesboro boys, that made it that much more icing on the cake, I guess," Petty explained. "Then they wanted to paint it red and blue and put a big 43 on it. They just kept doing things and running at me. I finally said, 'Yeah, let's just give it a try and see.'"

Petty said he is unsure what to expect come May and is placing all the pressure on Andretti. Although, make no mistake, the King is taking the opportunity seriously. His stock-car boys back at the shop are cheering him on and partner George Gillett Jr. welcomes the brand exposure for Richard Petty Motorsports.

"From that standpoint, we are vested in what's going on, OK? I'll put it that way," Petty said. "Because it's not just a publicity stunt like I told you [before]. We're up here; we're serious with this deal. We've got a good car. We've got a good crew that's capable of doing what we need to do with it. It's going to be up to John now."

That said, Petty has agreed to split time between North Carolina and Indianapolis during the month of May.

"I will definitely be up [in Indianapolis] for qualifying day," he said. "I'd like to spend another couple days up here, according to what my schedule is."

And that will include race day, May 24, the same day as NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"You know, I told them a while ago, according to how good John's doing, if he's leading, I ain't leaving, OK? I guess I really come to see the race. I come to be involved with our car, [the] Richard Petty Motorsports car," Petty said.

Just don't expect to see him on a pit box.

"I'm going to tell you, I'm not doing too good a job with my stock cars, so I don't think they're looking for my expertise in the Indy Cars," he said.

NASCAR Today
• John Andretti on how he convinced the King to enter the No. 43 in Indy 500