NASCAR WCUP: Kyle Petty misses big race at Texas
2 April 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
KYLE PETTY, NO. 44 HOT WHEELS PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:
(COULD HE HAVE QUALIFIED IF SECOND ROUND HAD NOT BEEN RAINED OUT) "We didn't have a snowball's chance. We've run like junk since we've been here. We came with three cars from Petty Enterprises and Adam (Petty) is only one that made the race. John (Andretti) uses a provisional and I go home. That's the way we've run this year on anything over a mile long. This is not a total surprise that it caught us. I've used four provisionals. I used all my provisionals up early in the year because we have run bad." (NOT BEING IN ADAM'S FIRST WINSTON CUP RACE) "I'm disappointed because of that. That is the only reason. I can't be disappointed in how the team's done. The team has worked really, really hard to get us where we're at. We're just not there. We're getting outrun every week. But at least Adam made the race. My prayers were answered. That's the good part because even if it rained and we go home, at least he is in the race."
(HIS FEELINGS OVERALL) "It's tough. For us as a team it is tough. You talk to these guys back behind me loading this car. It is tough on them. I've got a plan at Petty Enterprises and we are working the plan. And we're taking a beating because of it right now, myself and John included. I feel bad for John because he is taking a beating and I'm holding up his career because of some of the plans I do have at Petty Enterprises. But hopefully in three to five years it will pay off. Now for me, I'm on the back side of what I'm doing. This will pay off long-term for Adam in huge, huge dividends. But it's up to John to see whether he is willing to stick it out and stay with it and get the pay off in two or three years. And I have to admit, if I was running with a team like we're running right now, I would have to question it a little bit because we're not giving him everything that he needs to go out and do his job."
(WHERE HE WILL BE TOMORROW) "Probably on top of the bus watching the race, or watching it on TV. Maybe I'll have an opportunity to see how bad all the fans say it really is if I get to watch the race on TV."
(ON NOT TESTING HERE) "That's not our problem. I'll be blatantly honest and tell you our problem is not our cars. It's not how our cars are performing. We're just not running. We're getting beat in the motor department and we're going to have to step up. We're going to have to do something. Some guys are going to have to step to the table or they are going to have to step to the table someplace else. I hate to be that blatant about it, but that's just how it is."
Text provided by Al Larsen
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