“Total Sacrilege”: Custom Richard Petty Tribute Toyota Supra Draws Divisive Opinions From NASCAR Fans

Toyota recently paid tribute to Richard Petty by reimagining its GR Supra as the ‘Superbird’. During the unveiling of this new partnership between Legacy Motor Club (formerly Petty GMS) and Toyota, NASCAR analyst and Toyota Ambassador, Rutledge Wood, introduced the cleverly named ‘Suprabird’ at the 2024 SEMA Show, where they also celebrated the ‘King of NASCAR’ as their newest ambassador.

The transformation started with a standard GR Supra 3.0 Premium, which was artfully merged with the distinctive elements of Petty’s 1970 Plymouth Superbird. The ‘Superbird’, known for its aerodynamic design, was Plymouth’s response in 1970 aimed at competing with the Dodge Charger Daytona’s extraordinary performance on the superspeedways from the previous year.

The last appearance of Petty’s ‘Superbird’ was this July at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where the legendary light blue #43 ascended the hill, piloted by Petty’s son, Kyle. Recently, however, Toyota has taken the wraps off a new model, prompting Petty to post several photos of the car with the caption:

“There’s cool, then there’s #SupraBird cool! @RutledgeWood and @ToyotaRacing really outdid themselves on this build.”

While the tribute garnered applause from many, it also stirred controversy among purists. Some fans criticized the modern reinterpretation, arguing that the original should remain pristine and unaltered. One fan declared, “Let’s, not this is total sacrilege if you ask me,” while another lamented, “*sad Mopar noises*.”

Although it’s unlikely that the Suprabird will make it back to the banks of Daytona, fans will have the chance to bring a piece of the action home, as Hot Wheels is set to release die-cast models of the Supra-Plymouth hybrid.

Reflecting on this, a fan expressed his take, saying, “If that could run the Rolex 24 at Daytona that would be siiiick.” Opinions on the Suprabird were seemingly mixed; while one fan admired, “That is a beautiful hot rod,” another countered, “Love you King but that is awful.”

Did the ‘CARS’ movie transform Petty’s once-shunned 1970 Superbird into a style icon?

Back in 1970, the Superbird dominated the NASCAR tracks in a way few cars did. Yet, it didn’t immediately win over the public, unlike its rivals such as the Ford Grand Torino. Despite its advanced features and design, it took some time for the car to gain popularity, only becoming a standout favorite in more recent years.

Now, the car is highly coveted by those who have a need for speed and power. There are whispers that the car might now command a price north of $250k.

Thanks to its portrayal in the ‘CARS’ movie franchise in 2006, 2011, and 2017, where Strip ‘The King’ Weathers, a character inspired by Petty‘s real-life achievements and his iconic 1970s Superbird, is shown as a seven-time Piston Cup champion — a title later matched by Lightning McQueen — the Plymouth model has turned into a treasured collector’s item.

The ‘Superbird’ was the brainchild of Gary Romberg, a rocket scientist who passed away in February 2020. Unlike Romberg, the car’s time in the fast lane was short-lived.

By 1971, NASCAR had introduced new regulations that limited engine displacement for aerodynamically enhanced cars to 305 cubic inches since they were deemed to be too fast for the competition. And just like that, the era of the Superbird came to an abrupt end.

Today, even without Petty’s autograph, a Superbird can still command a price well over a quarter of a million dollars.