Being within the pit regulations is a crucial aspect of NASCAR today. And while pit strategy is always of great significance, back in the day, the pits were even more crucial. 

King Richard Petty drove in the NASCAR days of the “Wild West” era, and back then, there were no pit road speed limits. Neither did pit crews wear protective gear. 

Recalling the shift when he later drove after pit limits were introduced by NASCAR in 1991, Petty Family Racing’s legendary crew chief Dale Inman asked Petty how many times he was called for violating the limits.

Speaking on the Petty Family Racing podcast, King Richard said, “It was Atlanta, I got called three times at the same time. I thought it was in second gear, and then it was in third gear or something. I don’t know, transmission. I kept coming in.”

Petty said he had to drive through the pit lane thrice without entering his box even once. That was the penalty for speeding in the pit lane. A rule that Petty didn’t have for too long. 

But the crew chief and the only driver to win 200 Cup races discussed the times of lawlessness in the pits and recalled how important it was for strategy. 

Dale Inman pointed to the lack of a pit limit allowing drivers to use to pit as a way to gain time and Petty said, “That’s the reason a lot of times we’d pit coming in off the corner. And because the time we got to the end of the straight at the end of the pit road was already in third gear and then guys starting out in first. So we gain a lot. It’s a lot of ground there.”

When King Richard Exited the Pits Without a Wheel Lug

Petty’s crew chief recalled an incident from the lawlessness era when Petty exited the pits without the wheel lugs on, something that could have turned into a serious safety hazard. 

Inman said, “I don’t know what year it was, but we was changing four tires. And I went around and changed the right front, and Maurice would take the left front off and the left rear. Then the wade would come around front the right rear, and we’d change the lefts, and we dropped a jack on the right.”

He added, “I come around, you took off with no lugs on left side.”

Petty, who drove around for that full lap without the lugs on this left rear wheel, said, “ I didn’t make mistakes.” Inman expressed his surprise that Petty made the whole lap without losing his wheel. 

Richard Petty brought his 35-year-long career to an end in 1992, having to drive with the pit limiters for just about a year. 

You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!

Written by

Debrup Chaudhuri

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason