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- 200 Editions In—And a Story Fit for The King!
200 Editions In—And a Story Fit for The King!
July 10, 2025 | Edition #200
👋 Dear Motorheads,
Two hundred editions. Thousands of stories. One passionate NASCAR community.
So, in this commemorative edition, we are sharing a deeply personal tribute to a NASCAR legend who competed from 1958 to 1992, also diving into the drama at Bowman Gray Stadium (aka The Madhouse). And, we shine a spotlight on the unsung warriors of NASCAR—the pit crews.
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🗝️ From the Vault
At Lucky Dog on Track, we’ve always believed in honoring the people who made this sport what it is. While most of our weekly stories come straight from our editorial team, every now and then, we get to hand over the wheel to someone who’s lived NASCAR from the inside out.
And, we’re thrilled to share a special piece from Jim K. Kelly, a veteran motorsports writer and someone who’s been part of our extended creator family behind the scenes. Jim has spent decades in the sport, from photographing races in the 1970s to working as PR Director for Darrell Waltrip’s Gatorade team, to writing some of the best Thrillers. And through his journey, one name keeps showing up: The King, Richard Petty.
Rare Stories From 50 Years Around Richard Petty - Told From Inside the Sport
With Petty celebrating his 88th birthday last week, Jim takes us back to the day it all started and what it means to cross paths with a legend, time and time again.
Richard Petty turned 88 last week. It’s been 33 years since he ran his final NASCAR race. Yet, somehow, he’s still everywhere. His name, his smile, that iconic No. 43, they’ve never left the sport.
For me, it all started over 50 years ago. I was just a fan, standing in the crowd at a racetrack. That’s when I saw it, the Petty Blue and orange No. 43 shining in the sun. I couldn’t look away.
So, in college, I worked as a freelance photographer. I spent weekends traveling to drag strips and racetracks, shooting for car magazines. One day, at Richmond’s short track, I met Richard for the first time. He was kind. Easy to talk to. That trademark smile was just as bright in person.
Then came the 1976 Daytona 500. On the final lap, Richard and David Pearson wrecked while racing for the win. I’ll never forget it. This crash didn’t just make headlines; it changed something in me. I didn’t just want to take photos anymore. I wanted to be part of the sport. Here’s a recap for you.
Three years later, I became the PR Director for Darrell Waltrip’s Gatorade 88 team. And that role gave me full access to garages, press rooms, and VIP suites. And everywhere I went, I kept seeing Richard. Winning races. Signing autographs. Representing STP and NASCAR like no one else could.
Jump to 2025. I was driving to Charlotte for the National Motorsports Press Association banquet. On the way, I made a pit stop; Randleman, North Carolina, home of the Petty Museum.
Walking through the museum was literally like stepping into racing history. Trophies. Plaques. Race suits. Photos. And right in the middle was his legendary Pontiac Grand Prix that had seen the most of Richard. Here are some pictures I took that day.
I left something behind that day: a signed copy of Switchback, the sequel to my racing thriller Deadly Driver. I knew Richard was a big reader, and it felt right to say thank you that way.
The next night in Charlotte, I saw him again. Still smiling. Still shaking hands. Still making time for every fan. This time, he was with his son Kyle. Watching them together brought me right back to that track in Richmond.
After the banquet, I headed down to Daytona. I stopped by the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, right at the Speedway. I was there to fact-check a few things for my new screenplay. And, I must say, Richard’s STP Dodge is one of the stars. It inspired me to write my screenplay.
Looking back, it’s been over 50 years since I first saw Richard Petty and his car. I never imagined how far that moment would take me. But that’s the thing about legends. They don’t just race; they inspire. And Richard Petty will always be The King in my book.
-Jim K Kelly
You’ll be seeing more from Jim in the months ahead as we continue telling the stories that shaped NASCAR past and present through voices that know it best. And now, back to your regularly scheduled NASCAR news…
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📈 Trending News
Bowman Gray Is Back for 2026
Folks, the Bowman Gray is back in the spotlight. After a sold-out return in 2025, it looks like NASCAR seems to be going with the ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach, with the Cook Out Clash heading to ‘The Madhouse’ once again to start off the 2026 season.
The 2026 Clash will take place on Sunday, February 1st, at the iconic quarter-mile oval in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Cook Out will remain the title sponsor, while FOX Sports will handle the broadcast once again.
The format isn’t released yet, but if this year is anything to go by, it’ll likely have four heat races, a last-chance qualifier, and a 200-lap main for a 22-car field. And, the video is already hinting at chaos, with NASCAR’s Most Popular driver at the front. Take a look.
All thanks to this year’s exhibition event at BGS. It turns out, fans weren’t the only ones impressed by the venue’s infectious atmosphere, with drivers, teams, and officials won over by the energy and intensity.
“We wrote a new chapter in the storied history of motorsports at Bowman Gray Stadium with the Cook Out Clash this year,” said NASCAR Regional managing director Joey Dennewitz.
And, the track even got a facelift ahead of its long-awaited return. NASCAR invested in LED MUSCO lighting, new fencing, and SAFER barriers, but retained the raw and gritty charm ‘The Madhouse’ is known for.
“An immensely successful event for all parties involved,” Winston-Salem’s mayor, Allen Joines, said.
With talks of the city and NASCAR potentially working on a five-year plan, the Bowman Gray returning to the pinnacle of stock car racing might not be a one-off revival anymore.
🤔 This or That?
“A driver once lost a race because the team accidentally filled his tank with Mountain Dew.”
Can You Tell Which Fact Is Real? |
“A NASCAR driver once drove an entire race stuck in fourth gear and still managed to win.”
🗣️ Talk of the NASCAR Town
Industry Push Emerges for Truck Series’ Own Identity
The NASCAR Truck Series is in a bit of a dilemma. Naturally, team owners are feeling the pressure while navigating through the rising costs. And drivers like Landon Huffman are blunt enough to echo what a lot of folks are already thinking.
“The truck series at any well-known local short track would go hard,” Huffman tweeted recently. He didn’t just stop at this; he also reminded NASCAR why it was created in the first place. Here, look at his post.
Teams are desperately fighting for survival, with purses not matching the rising expenses. At the Daytona 500, the Cup Series prize money was a staggering $30 million. But the Truck Series was just over $1 million. That kind of gap looks unsustainable for team owners.
And, some of the owners aren’t mincing their words either.
“We’re running on fumes here, and we need more support,” said Al Niece. Even successful teams like TRICON Garage, which’ve seen strong performances from the likes of Corey Heim, are feeling the pinch. Tires, travel, equipment, and expenses are just rising, and many teams could fold if this continues.
The number of full-time Truck entries has dropped from 32 in 2020 to 28 in 2025. While that might not seem significant, fewer entries mean less exciting races, which eventually drives fans and sponsors away. And if this keeps up, the Truck Series could cease to become a stepping stone for Xfinity and the Cup Series. We spoke to Kyle Whisner, who’s been in the sport for over 30 years
Perhaps it’s time for the Truck Series to go back to basics, even if it means returning to short tracks, getting local crowds, and reducing their overhead. It’s a tried and tested recipe that has worked before.
“It was its healthiest when it was a landing destination for racers and wasn’t viewed as a development ground for Cup,” said Huffman.
Clearly, NASCAR has an important decision to make.
🫡 The Lucky Dog Salutes
Faces Behind NASCAR: The Breanna O’Leary Story
Women in NASCAR are flipping the script.
When Breanna O’Leary walks on the pit road, the tire changer is busting myths about what a crew member can look like. The Amarillo, Texas native traded cleats for lug nuts years ago, and hasn’t looked back since.
Now a veteran in NASCAR, the trailblazer is proving she belongs in one of the most competitive environments in motorsports. Her introduction to NASCAR came via the Drive for Diversity Pit Crew Development program back in 2016. She was one of the few female athletes selected outside the traditional football pipeline.
“I played softball at Alcorn State University, and they were mostly recruiting big football boys, But I thought, I’ll give it a try,” Breanna said in this interview.
And that decision turned into a full-time job, and by 2018, she was already making her Cup Series debut at Michigan International Speedway. Since then, she’s climbed her way through the ranks, pitting cars across the Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series, working with some of the top teams, including Chip Ganassi Racing.
“It’s probably been one of the best experiences so far in my NASCAR career,” she mentioned about Chip Ganassi.
And, if you don’t know, fans love Breanna O’Leary, not just because of her athleticism, but also her humility and drive. She’s making a mark in a male-dominated industry, changing the narrative one tire at a time. Despite making a name for herself in the NASCAR industry, she isn’t losing sight of where she came from.
“Every day I wake up, I’m like, ‘I am a tire changer.’ That’s what I do for a living. And it’s still so surreal to me.” Here, watch her in action at Texas Motor Speedway!
And, it doesn’t just end in the pit lane. Her status as a tire-changer is giving her opportunities off the track, too. O’Leary also got the opportunity to drop the puck at her hometown hockey game.
In all, she isn’t just changing tires, she’s changing a mindset. Paving the way for more women to enter NASCAR, even if that means working harder than everyone else to alter preconceived notions in a cutthroat industry.
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