“This is something new, It’s a tricky track,” Richard Petty on Gateway after the inaugural run for the Cup Series


“This is something new, It’s a tricky track,” Richard Petty on Gateway after the inaugural run for the Cup Series

Richard Petty

NASCAR has chosen to open the World Wide Technology Raceway officially to host the Cup Series races also apart from Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series races and this year will mark the first-ever Cup Series event at the 1.25 mile-long track and that is the Enjoy Illinois 300. Stock-car racing legend, Richard Petty inaugurated the Cup Series practice session at the track.

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He also drove a lap on the track and was delighted to have had the experience while he also cut the ribbon paving way for NASCAR to officially host its Cup Series races at this track from 2022 and he also met up with a lot of wonderful fans and soon before he came to know it, the day, Friday, 3rd June 2022 came to be known as ‘Richard Petty Day’.

He drove around his 1981 Daytona 500’s car which got him that year’s victory and he also has a long list of achievements to his name including being the very first driver to win seven Cup Series Championships along with seven Daytona 500s and all-in-all he amassed a total amount of 200 Cup Series victories in his time behind the wheel earning him the title ‘The King’ Richard Petty.

Also read: Chase Briscoe claims his Gateway pole ‘is a testament to’ how good his No:14 team were in 2022 as he hopes for ‘same result as Phoenix’

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“I was really looking forward to it,” says Richard Petty as he enjoyed his time at the World Wide Technology Raceway

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Richard Petty exiting from his car on WWTR after a lap

Richard Petty was glad he could do whatever he did on the track and he also had fun driving around on the track he said that it was a refreshing experience meeting with fans and was impressed with NASCAR opting to go to new venues to host their main Cup Series event.

“This is something new, I was really looking forward to it. Some of the fans who went for years and years, I never got to meet, but I’m getting to get to know them,” said Richard Petty.

He further went on to speak about the track and shared his thoughts after having a lap around he said that it’s a track full of surprises and that it was shaped more like an egg than an oval with turns 1 and 2 being pretty close and turns 3 and 4 being completely different again and also spoke about the active Cup Series competitors practicing on the track after him.

“It’s a tricky track, egg-shaped, you go into turn one, and then you’ve got to turn again quick. Three and four are pretty good. That’s why the drivers are busy practicing. It will be interesting,” said Richard Petty.

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Here’s what a few of the Cup Series drivers had to say after Richard Petty shared his thoughts on the track

richard petty
Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, and Kevin Harvick

The elder brother of the Busch family, Kurt Busch who drives the No.45 Toyota Camry TRD for 23X1 Racing said that he is a fan of the decision NASCAR took to race the Cup Series on a new track and that he is really enjoying his time on the track and is glad to have an hour of practice time.

“It’s exciting being in a new market for our sport,” Kurt Busch said. It’s fun preparing for the race. I’m happy we have an hour to practice, it helps,” said Kurt Busch.

Kyle Busch, who drives the No.18 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing recollected his time at this track when he won the Xfinity Series race back in 2009 and he also took part in 2005 and 2006.

“I remember winning here in 2009, but I don’t remember much about 2005 or ’06,” said Kyle Busch.

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Kyle Larson who drives the No.5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports said that he is the among those drivers who go to various tracks and that the Sunday’s race will be pretty easy except for overtaking and with the fact that everyone is pretty well-established when it comes to driving it’ll be pretty easy to get into shape.

“I go to more new tracks than anybody does, I don’t think you’ll see anybody struggling. I think it makes it tougher to pass, we’re all good drivers and should work into it quickly,” said Kyle Larson.

Kevin Harvick who drives the No.4 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing said that practicing on a track gets more and more significant to the performance for that race and that it all depends on that particular time it takes to race.

“It depends on the week, it becomes more important every year, with less track time. It’s hard to tell what will happen until you get there,” said Kevin Harvick.

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With Cup Series drivers preparing for the first Cup event at WWTR, fans are eagerly waiting for the commencement of Enjoy Illinois 300.

Also read: “Great push by my teammate right there,” Corey Heim elated after earning yet another Truck Series win at WWTR

Also read: “I think it is terrible for our sport,” Kevin Harvick despises racing on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway