While some NASCAR greats have made their presence felt with sheer racing talent on track, others make longevity count and set seemingly unbeatable records to their name. Then there are those who captivate fans with just their persona. Richard Petty is among the select few who have accomplished all that and more. The RFK Racing owner/driver, Brad Keselowski, certainly feels this, too.
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Speaking to Speedway Media ahead of this week’s race at Talladega, Keselowski let in on why he thought Petty is NASCAR’s G.O.A.T. But it was beyond the usual argument of immense numbers or even the personality of ‘The King’ — which he thought was “pretty cool”.
For him, it was more about how Petty raced, dominated, and survived in an era known for being dangerous.
The 41-year-old RFK Racing driver said, “I feel like Richard Petty is the greatest race car driver that ever lived… I think it connects back to something that makes racing very unique compared to other sports, it’s the aspect of he raced in an era where the contemporaries that he had, that at least could win or were top-level drivers, would, candidly, not make it out every year.”
“He himself, multiple times, barely made it out of big crashes… but he kept racing, and he didn’t just keep racing, he kept winning. Nobody else can really claim that, at least not at the NASCAR level,” Keselowski added admiringly.
The 2012 Cup champion also felt that today, when everyone has become obsessed with stats, the narrative of “guts” is easily forgotten.
He emphasized how impressive it is to realize that Petty would go on with his business despite seeing several of his peers lose their lives on the track. This was fortitude at a time when people spoke much less about mental strength and pressure in sports.
Petty’s inspiration is also indirectly why Keselowski has one big personal regret.
When Brad Keselowski met Richard Petty on a flight
Keselowski overlooked learning in person from Petty for a long time. It is one of the things that he feels he took “for granted”. He said, “I had access to Richard Petty and didn’t do anything with it, like didn’t get to know him or didn’t get to build a relationship with him.” But it all changed two weeks ago.
The Michigan-born driver was invited to Washington, D.C., for a meeting between NASCAR and the Congressional Committee. He made up his mind when he saw Richard Petty’s name on the list too, thinking that he would finally be able to spend time with him. To Keselowski’s surprise, they both were on the same flight as well.
Keselowski had so much to ask Petty. He sat with the latter for several hours during the flight, asking him about all his stories and opinions. Reflecting on the journey, Keselowski now wishes that he had recorded their conversation, saying, “It was awesome. I wish that we had the Google glasses.”
Keselowski’s concluding remark about Petty perfectly summed up why he has always been in awe of the seven-time Cup champion. He remarked, “He’s lived 20 people’s lives.”
