OK, I surrender. After the mess that NASCAR Now made of the Tuesday one hour special from the Petty Museum, fans apparently felt very strongly about the way SPEED treated The King on the Friday night edition of Trackside. Here is your opportunity to tell us all about it.
Reminder: Trackside will re-ar at 2PM Eastern Time on Saturday.
Petty was the only guest and host Steve Byrnes was outstanding. He even brought-up some video from well over a decade ago of Byrnes hosting Petty on the sidelines at a Washington Redskins game. Byrnes was overwhelmed that the players, in full gear and ready for a game, came directly to Petty just to shake hands. Many returned after the game for his autograph.
Panelists Jeff Hammond, Larry McReynolds and Elliott Sadler had obviously done their homework and asked informed and diverse questions. Petty discussed the past, the Petty Enterprises recent merger and other current NASCAR issues.
The King has lots of strong feelings and a very good sense of humor. Both of these attributes were on display in this hour-long program. If you watched the show and would like to relate your feelings, please do so below.
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25 comments:
I tend to multitask when I watch TV but during this Trackside all I did watch. Wow as a new fan I finally understand why the man is called the King. The respect he was given but the Trackside guys spoke volumes. The video clips were very enlightening and the questions were the ones I wanted answers to also. The fun was still there but all silliness was put to the side. The only thing missing was the shots that NN could have given us from the shop. Speed did a wonderful job giving us what ESPN dropped the ball on. Too bad JP and BD were not there for that show, Nicole was fine but Shannon who seems like a sweet girl either doesn't know enough history or just doesn't know how to do a interview of that type. Hats off to Trackside it was a fantastic show
For those who missed yesterday's airing of Trackside, it looks like there's a repeat at 2;00 ET today. I caught the last 15 minutes or so during the second repeat late last night, and it was excellent. I'm looking forward to watching Trackside in its entirety in about an hour.
--KarenB
Thank you for adding that info, I will also add it to the main column.
JD
whoa! jd, did you just change the background color on this site or is it my laptop? or maybe my eyes just improved: it seems crisper and easier to read . . .
JD,
I thought the Blue backround was nice for this articule. Thanks Karen B for the update or I would not have known of the reair at 2PM
I watched it all last night - no switching thru commercials, I was afraid I'd miss something.
Mr. Richard was treated with respect & dignity that he earned over the years. The questions were asked respectfully,yet not fawning, and then they just let the King give not only the answer,but, the stories that went with it. Greatjob!
Yup the guys had really done their homework for this show and it really showed. Good Job Guys.
Did anyone else catch what the King said about fans & drivers?
He signs autographs and talks to everyone because he knows if it weren't for fans he wouldn't be where he is. Could someone please show that tape to some of the sports younger drivers please?
The King talking about the shop & how things have changed was beyond fascinating. I watched the sport grow and change - always from the outside. He explained it from an inside first person perspective with stories. It was as if he was taking us back with him to really let us know what it was like.
Awesome to hear it, and I don't know if he could have grown in stature with me - but he did as he admitted how he & Petty Enterprises stalled on the growth curve and now they are changing with the times.
It was a humorous entertaining show I wish had been a 2 hour special.
Personally I liked the beige background, lighter neutral easier with text contrast... but I have bad vision. But if it's for the "Petty Blue" I get that.
I am watching the repeat as I enjoyed this interview with the King so much. :)
i'm watching the re-run and it's still early in the petty segment but i have to say:
now THAT'S what i'm talkin' about! THIS is the show i had hoped to see the other night! let the man talk and just sit back and enjoy!
thanks for the heads-up on the re-run, karenb!
Jo,Agree about remembering if it was NOT for the fans, he would not be where he is today. This was so much better than the "ESPN special".
What a great guy. I wish I had been watching years ago when this class act was still in the sport.
I had no idea the difference of his business being ALL ABOUT THE RACING and the other big guns came in, making their business in other areas and then getting into racing. Helps me understand how Petty got left behind as he humbly explained.
JD love the Petty Blue!!
SophiaZ123 said...
What a great guy. I wish I had been watching years ago when this class act was still in the sport.
I had no idea the difference of his business being ALL ABOUT THE RACING and the other big guns came in, making their business in other areas and then getting into racing. Helps me understand how Petty got left behind as he humbly explained.
July 12, 2008 2:34 PM
And thats the reason I have only 3 autograghs framed, the King, Dale & Smoke.
Understood, Jo. Three greats.
When he explained the accidental blue color they stumbled upon, makes it cool JD changed the site color to honor this guy. Duh, took me a minute to get that.
yea, this shoulda been a two hour special. I could listen to the King tell stories all day..I caught most of this last night but worth another listen.
I can think of some drivers that could learn a dose of his humility and gratititude. :)
Ya, know, it would have been nice in the off week to have TWIN do a special with the King. SB would make a great interviewer.
Great opening comment from the King, not pushing a product.
What a wonderful, thoughtful explaination from the King about outside investors to the sport with other teams. Sounds like it really comes from the heart.
Good line about his wife with the number 1 and number 2.
Good story about his last race. Just a blaze.
Did you all notice how attentive and respectful the panel is? And just let the King speak of his history in the sport and PE. Of course the panel did ask more indepth questions than we got from the Tuesday interview on NN.
What a pleasure it was just to sit back and listen to the King. Nice job Trackside, Thank you.
J. D.,
I laughed when The King told the gang that he came here "because you asked me. I don't have anything to sell." Then he went on to laugh about how the drivers have all their plugs choreographed.
Thanks for the Petty Blue tribute background.
Kenny
Alameda, California
I didn't watch ESPN's Petty special since we don't get ESPN in Canada, so I can't make any comparisons between the Trackside and ESPN interviews. After reading the comments about the ESPN special, perhaps that's a good thing. :-)
First of all, I have to thank Richard Petty for being so incredibly open, honest, self-effacing and humourous. I started watching racing many many years after he retired, but every time I see him interviewed, my regard for him increases exponentially.
The Trackside panel, with their years of knowing Richard Petty, were outstanding. They were respectful and attentive. They were incredibly well-prepared. Their questions didn't assume that everyone knew the intimate details of Petty's career; a bit of background was conveyed, then the question was asked. Petty was allowed to answer questions fully. There was some fun, but things didn't slide into goofy territory.
That was one of the best Trackside episodes I have seen. I could easily have watched another hour or two. Kudos to all involved.
--KarenB
Great show!
Petty blue, that's smart.
GREAT show. It was quite clear the respect all the panel have for Richard Petty.
JD, many thanks for the heads-up so I could make sure to tape the show - a keeper.
The King's willingness to sign autographs is legendary - and if you have seen his autograph it is unique and involved, not the squiggles and wavy lines many use.
JD- thanks for the blue and this column.
I think that the resident trolls had a bit of fun with you in the emails. I don’t think there has been a Cup race this season that hasn’t mentioned Richard Petty and his history. Plus, a simple internet search would have provided all the information needed.
I really enjoyed this episode of Trackside. All the panel did a great job. The crowd also kept their signs and yelling to a minimum which added to the mood of the show.
lisa,
Nothing will excuse the complete mess that ESPN made of Petty's 50th anniversary on live TV. I may keep this thing blue for the rest of the season.
JD
Sounds good to me! :)
That was, indeed, a terrific show. There is a great companion piece on Petty in the current issue of Sports Illustrated, one of the "Where are they now" profiles. Well worth the read. Guess what the biggest change he sees in Nascar? Who was his greatest competitor? I loved this: "When you go down in a corner, you know you're going to turn left. What can you say? It's all feel".
That was, indeed, a terrific show. There is a great companion piece on Petty in the current issue of Sports Illustrated, one of the "Where are they now" profiles. Well worth the read. Guess what the biggest change he sees in Nascar? Who was his greatest competitor? I loved this: "When you go down in a corner, you know you're going to turn left. What can you say? It's all feel".
@jo--yup he's said that many times and Kyle has said that's one of the greatest lessons his dad taught him. The King will stay until everyone has an autograph. He's even gone out to cars and signed the dash/visors :).
I have Trackside on SP and usually delete the repeats unless there was something that I needed to get a laugh over again (which is one reason why I like NA$CAR in a Hurry because they often show those bits :)).
But this one I watched all of the repeats! It was a very classic episode! I think one of the best Tracksides evah!
The crew did an EXCELLENT job! Even without *one* question, if they just let The King talk the show would have rocked!
JD,
Do not know if you caught it during the pre race on TNT when The King was on. But at the end of the segment the same exact picture you have at the top of this column was shown on TV.
This was surely the best Trackside I've ever watched.
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