NASCAR and Petty renew agreement

Few names are more intertwined than Petty and NASCAR. Fewer, still, have been as connected in the public consciousness for more than 50 years.

With the announcement that Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE) and NASCAR have extended the term of their licensing agreement thru 2012, these iconic brands will continue to offer fans the opportunity to get inside of a Petty race car for the very best in “Authentic NASCAR Entertainment."

On the race track and off, Richard Petty – “The King" – has been the very embodiment of the sport’s finest attributes. With 200 wins in NASCAR’s Cup series – a record that will likely never be broken – seven Cup Championships and seven Daytona 500 victories, Petty has accomplished more than any other driver in NASCAR history.

He’s had many successful ventures out of the car as well; none more so than Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE). Founded in 1994, RPDE pioneered the idea that the average motorsports enthusiast, with proper instruction and provisions for safety, should be able to get behind the wheel of a race car at some of the country’s premier tracks and drive faster than he or she ever dreamed.

Today, RPDE operates upwards of 1,000 track days annually at more than 20 premier speedways.

Petty, who is actively involved as an owner of the Driving Experience, both in the boardroom and at the racetrack said; “We’re all about giving folks the chance to feel a little bit of what I got from NASCAR racing for more than 30 years. And knowing that NASCAR continues to be part of this deal with us, is very important to me."

“We’re delighted to extend our relationship with Richard Petty Driving Experience as a memorable and realistic way to engage our fans," NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France. “To continue our strong relationship with the legendary Richard Petty, who remains an icon in our sport, is important to our fans and NASCAR."