HAMPTON, Ga. -- The Silver Fox made a rare public appearance Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Like in so many of the races during his career, he was there one minute and gone the next. He stayed just long enough to pose for pictures with one of his old cars -- the No. 21 Mercury that he used to drive for Wood Brothers Racing -- and tell a few stories along with his former car owner and chief mechanic, Leonard Wood.

“

I never went into any race that I didn't think I could win.

”

DAVID PEARSON

He professed admiration for current drivers Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch, admitted a desire to see Mark Martin claim a championship before the 50-year-old driver retires for good "because he's a good boy," and questioned the wisdom or current NASCAR rules.

Then David Pearson prepared to take off.

After admitting he hadn't been to a Sprint Cup race all year, Pearson made it clear he didn't intend to stick around for this Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500.

"I'm fixin' to leave here in just a few minutes. I'm going back home," said Pearson, who lives in Spartanburg, S.C.

Pearson drove from 1960 through 1986, winning three championships despite rarely running a full Cup schedule. With 105 career victories and 113 poles, only the legendary Richard Petty -- one of his old adversaries who made many more starts -- ranks ahead of him in either category.

But unlike Petty, who remains involved as part-owner of a race team and a full-time goodwill ambassador for the sport, Pearson rarely comes around despite frequent invites to join NASCAR's weekly parties.

Asked why, Pearson grimaced and replied: "I don't like none of the rules, and the way they run it. It ain't right for somebody to tell you what springs to run, what shocks to run, and what tires, and what gear to run. That's where Leonard outsmarted everybody else." (Continued)