The next thing I planned to tackle was Richard Petty's record of 27 wins in a season and how legitimate it is when you compare it to today's schedule. In the course of researching that I realized that I made an error on this post tabulating the King's all-time win total. I'm not exactly sure where I slipped up, but I'm sure I'll figure it out. I'm pretty chuffed about posting it without (apparently) double-checking it enough, but whatareyagonnado?
OFFICIALLY, the King's win total is going to be adjusted to 116, up one from 115. In chronological order, here are the 56 wins I counted that compare to today's races to get to that total, added to the sixty wins Petty got after the schedule changed.
(Also, there is some stuff I discovered about NASCAR history and they way they insist on keeping everything at face value that just blows my mind. It's going to have to wait for another day, because ON TO THE LIST...)
1960 (1 win) Martinsville - Virginia 500 (1)
1961 (0 wins)
1962 (3 wins) North Wilkesboro - Gwyn Staley 400 and Wilkes 320 (2, 3) Martinsville - Virginia 500 (4)
1963 (2 wins) Martinsville - Virginia 500 (5) North Wilkesboro - Gwyn Staley 400 (6)
Great hard work JJ. I have to agree with Photogr on the no one has eclipsed it yet and I will say never will. In this day of NASCAR we have to many great teams compaired to those years. cheers
About 1970 (?) he starting running the Hemi engine, and nobody could catch him. That is, while NASCAR would allow it.
Also, Petty would lay back and let the young-uns beat each other out of the race, and when they went to pit, he would ride around and make some laps. The sandbagging technique, perhaps.
Kinda like J. Gordon is doing these days.
I really wish you would address the vastly apparent differences in the cars from then, as opposed to today. Not necessarily the differances mechanically, but the fact the teams has vastly varying equipment. Because I can't do it justice. But that's my wish, only, lol.
Last edited by HotfootLori on March 26th at 7:51 PM.
I'd rather the Nextel Cup champion be decided over the entire season, but I think if you are going to have a Chase for the Nextel Cup, you should break out the twelve guys and have them scored separately, so I'm tracking the points both ways.
I also strongly advocate a NCAA football playoff, so there will be some posts about that showing up here, although I have written this blog for over a year and haven't gone there yet.
I can be reached via e-mail or AIM at jayjaydean at gmail dot com.
