Stock Car racing has given motorsport fans the gift of many iconic race cars. Being at the forefront of this endeavor, NASCAR has naturally been credited with introducing some of the most awe-inspiring pieces of race engineering into the fold.
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Speaking of iconic race cars, the Plymouth Superbird, driven by the legendary Richard Petty during the 1970 season, stands testament to the intersection of beauty and speed — though, undone by the very competition that gave birth to it.
The Superbird was the spiritual successor to the Plymouth Roadrunner. But in essence, it took inspiration from the Dodge Charger Daytona leaving the aero-limited shackles of the Roadrunner concept behind. Its conception was also crucial in attracting Petty back to Plymouth — with whom he won four out of his seven titles — after a brief stint with Ford in ’69.
On track, the Superbird was as rapid as it was poised. Its uncanny aerodynamic concept powered by a 433 horsepower Hemi V-8 allowed ‘the King’ to romp to eight victories that year in the iconic #43 livery.
That said, the Superbird’s day in the sun would turn out to be short-lived. The 1970 season showcased just how fast NASCAR had become. With speeds over 200 mph, NASCAR needed to re-evaluate its safety measures and resources. Rather, they decided to cap the performance of aero cars.
The Superbird was so successful that NASCAR had to make drastic rule changes to keep the playing field equal. Are you a fan of Richard Petty’s 200mph Plymouth Superbird? #FOS #Plymouth #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/icLzfoCmGs
— Goodwood FOS (@fosgoodwood) January 31, 2024
The new formula, which limited engine displacement to 350 cubic inches, just wouldn’t work for Chrysler’s beast. Even availing the displacement relaxations by offsetting additional weight turned out to be a compromise that Plymouth couldn’t wrap its head around. And so, with only one glorious season of racing under its belt, the Superbird was retired.
NASCAR’s reluctance to let the Superbird off its leash coupled with an underwhelming response from the domestic automobile market led to Plymouth quickly taking the road-legal version of the car off the shelves, too. Hence, ending the Superbird’s run for good.
Kyle Petty reunites with his father’s iconic Plymouth Superbird
In the build-up to the #43 Superbird’s 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed debut, Richard Petty’s son, Kyle rolled the covers off the Plymouth. Brought up to running trim by Petty’s Garage, Petty took his father’s car for a spin around Level Cross.
“Petty’s Garage has gone through it, they’ve worked on everything, they’ve got it straight. I’m going to take it out and give it a little test drive really just for my benefit but to make sure the brakes work, too,” he said on the Petty Family Racing YouTube channel.
It was Petty Jr.’s first-ever proper test drive and his jubilation was on full display as he put the Superbird through its gears. Just weeks later, he would drive the car up the legendary Goodwood Hill — paying homage not only to his father but to the short-lived yet inimitable legacy of the Superbird.
