Horray! for Petty Enterprises!

[Steelman]

2006 will be a good year for the 43 car,we got a real driver next year.
Bobby Lebonte will put the 43 car back where it belongs,in the winners circle.
Any thoughts?

[Silver R/T]

good luck to him

[NHCharger]

Let's see. Petty Enterprises re-hires Lommis, who managed to run Jeff Gordon's career down a level. Now they hire a former champion who is past his prime. No offense, I think LaBonte is still a good driver but they need a young gun who is willing to push the car every time he gets in it, (but not another Buckshot Jones).
Since Petty retired in 92 all they have had in the #43 is a string of middle aged, average driver's. The only one with any real talent was Bobby Hamilton.

[TruckDriver]

A combination of things will put the car(s) in Victory Lane.   Robbie Loomis being VP and relieving Kyle of most of his duties except driving is gonna help #45 as well.   I must admit I'm super pumped to see Bobby driving a Dodge.   I now have a new favorite driver.

['CUDA360]

Let's not forget it wasn't that long ago that Bobby was the champion.  At Gibbs racing it has become ovious they put all the support behind the Home Depot number 20 Chevrolet early on.

This young gun thing is a fad.... Old age and treachery beats youth and enthusiasm every time.

The Petty team has come along way this year and I think ther're gonna get a couple of wins at least next year.

HOW 'BOUT THAT TED MUSGRAVE!!!!!!!

[HeavyFuel]

Bobby is one of the classiest drivers out there.  But in my opinion, the move to Petty Enterprises signals the end is in sight for him.  Petty will do better by having him, but no way is that team as good as the Joe Gibbs orginization.  He got let go because he wasn't performing, and it's hard to see that, because I am one of his many fans.  But if you can't perform with the resources that Gibbs provides, you are gonna be sunk with Petty.  They have been off the game for many years, and unfortunately, it's going to take alot more than Bobby and Robby  to cure that.  It bites, but I'd be willing to bet that Bobby is out of the Nextel cup within 3 years.  He is already running in the truck series part of the time, and that is pretty much where all of the semi retired or wanna be drivers run in. 

[Afflyer]

I wish my favorite driver, Sterling Marlin, could have jumped in that #43 seat.  I hate to see him get out of cup racing and go over to the Busch leage, just to stay with Chip Ganassi and retire.  Makes me long for the glory days of the '01 and '03 seasons.

Bradley

[General_01]

I think Sterling is going to MB2. He is replacing Scott Riggs in the #10, but next year the car will be #14 in rememberance of Coo Coo.

[Steelman]

A combination of things will put the car(s) in Victory Lane.   Robbie Loomis being VP and relieving Kyle of most of his duties except driving is gonna help #45 as well.   I must admit I'm super pumped to see Bobby driving a Dodge.   I now have a new favorite driver.

I think the problem with this team has been Kyle running things.
He's a nice guy but,he can't drive and he has no idea how to run a business.
Adam was the last chance for a Petty to be great,sad to say.

[1970 FE5 RR]

[Adam was the last chance for a Petty to be great,sad to say.

[adauto]

Either way Id sure like to see Team Petty do something! I'm old enough to remember the good old days....when a HEMI was a HEMI!!!! And KING RICHARD RULED!

[Guns N Rotors]

I think the problem with this team has been Kyle running things.
He's a nice guy but,he can't drive and he has no idea how to run a business.

Kyle ran more laps this year than the 8 car did. How 'bout that!

[Vainglory, Esq.]

I think the problem with this team has been Kyle running things.
He's a nice guy but,he can't drive and he has no idea how to run a business.

Kyle ran more laps this year than the 8 car did. How 'bout that!

I don't think he ran David Green, his team mate, over either.

Oh yeah.  He went there.

[69_500]

I think that he will be a good aquisition for the Petty Teams. I don't think they will reach the winners circle in 06 however. But I do think that it might be the first time in years that Petty Enterprises will have a driver and a team that is capable of getting more than 10 top 10's in a year. I also think that with his style of driving he could wind up in  the top 20 in points, which is huge step up from the last set of drivers they have had.

I wish that Sterling had stayed for one more season at Ganassi, but then again I don't know why they didn't try to keep Jamie McMurray there either. Seems to me that between those 2, that was about 90% of their good races over the last 4 years. I see that Casey Mears might actually start driving like his name implies and that would be a good thing for them. But it will be tought next year when there is 3 Ganassi cars, and 2 of them are going to be rookies.

[Smoke20]

There's almost as much "trading" going on in NASCAR this off season than in MLB. Next thing will be steroids testing! 

I hope that Loomis and Labonte going to Petty Ent. will be the kick in the ass that they need to get competitive again. Let's also hope for the 06 Charger front end change that the're all squaking about gets done as well.

[BrianShaughnessy]

Best of luck to them.

Personally I think Labonte's a decent guy but I think he's a bit past prime.

[Lowprofile]

I think the problem with this team has been Kyle running things.
He's a nice guy but,he can't drive and he has no idea how to run a business.

Kyle ran more laps this year than the 8 car did. How 'bout that!

Yea, at the back of the pack. It's time for Kyle to step aside and think of the team. The changes they've made for next year are a good start. I think we all would love to see Petty Enterprises rise from the ashes, sort of speak. God bless Kyle and his wife for all the charity work they do in their sons name. I Think they will be back in the winners circle sooner than later. Go Petty!

[69_500]

I think that Kyle does a fine job at running things, but I think that he should step aside as a driver and put someone else in the driver seat of the 45 car. I think they should go out and find a young driver in say Busch or even the truck series, and move them up to the 45 car. Get them someone young with an upside.

[hydroforce]

well, my daughter is a huge Bobby fan....i'm glad to see he at least got into a good ride next year-
I wish he didn't have to leave the 18 crew-

[69_500]

Well look at it this way, at least he is now in a Dodge right.

[cold85]

My good freind who is a top guy at petty said they are spending a lot of money to get back in the winner's circle. I think they may surprise some people next year.

[Smoke20]

Seeing Petty in the winner's circle would be a surprise, alright!

Not trying to dis Kyle, or anything. I mean it in the opposite. Let's hope that he can get it done on the track without all of the other pressures weighing him down. The same goes for Bobby.

Well look at it this way, at least he is now in a Dodge right.

All we need is to get Tony Stewart in a Mopar! 

[Steelman]

My good freind who is a top guy at petty said they are spending a lot of money to get back in the winner's circle. I think they may surprise some people next year.

This,I think is what has needed to happen for years,they haven't spent any real money to get the Petty tradition back on track(no pun intended).CASH rules when it comes to competing in any sport these days.
I have often wondered why Richard has allowed this team to be content with a mediocre team for so long,lets face it,this team is probably the last team to have a full pit in less than 16 seconds,which is mandatory if your car is going to compete.
My opinion is that Richard may have been gearing up for Adam,and after that loss, he may have lost alittle enthusiasm,(who wouldn't).
A top ten is a win for the 43 car and we will be there in 06.

[69_500]

I'm sure they will have plenty of top 10's coming next season. Probably double the number of them that they had this year. But I think it would take a young driver, and that crew years to be a true contender.

[Steelman]

I'm sure they will have plenty of top 10's coming next season. Probably double the number of them that they had this year. But I think it would take a young driver, and that crew years to be a true contender.

NASCAR is the one sport where age is not really a factor when it comes to being competitive,an experienced driver will save the car not push it to far and recognizes his AND the cars limitations whereas a young and NO FEAR driver will risk his life as well as others on the track to get on screen.
When people refer to a" young driver",tell me what exactly you are looking for?

[BLACKWOLF]

I THINK THAT JEFF GREEN WAS NEVER THE RIGHT PERSON TO PUT IN THE # 43 CAR. I WISH THAT KYLE WOULD HAVE PICKED UP CARL EDWARDS BEFORE ROUSH DID. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A PERFECT FIT IN THE # 45 CAR. HE CAN DRIVE A CAR "BALLS TO THE WALL"! I AM A BIG KYLE PETTY FAN AND OF COURSE RICHARD. KYLE STAYED ON THE LEAD LAP ALOT THIS YEAR. I LOVED WHAT HE DID AT THE  TALLADEGA FALL RACE. HE WRECKED ON THE LAST LAP. BUT, HE CROSSED THE FINISH LINE DOG TRACKING ON 1 TIRE AND DID A 360 AFTER HE CROSSED THE LINE. HE WAS NOT GOING TO GET A DNF.

['CUDA360]

I don't see why not.   Smoke run Mopar on the dirt track.
I'm sure Gibbs has him locked in or will lock him up for several years, maybe not.

Not anymore I'm afraid. He fired his driver and turned around and sold the whole team to his driver for a dollar

I just don't know what that boy is thinking sometimes. There must be a new plan for next year but no one knows what it is..

[hrspwr]

 :)Been a Petty fan since:

Best of luck to them in the future!