NASCAR In 1971 — The 75 Years Edition

Editor’s Note: NASCAR is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2023. SPEED SPORT was founded in 1934 and was already on its way to becoming America’s Motorsports Authority when NASCAR was formed. As a result, we will bring you Part 24 of a 75-part series on the history of NASCAR as told in the pages of National Speed Sport News and SPEED SPORT Magazine.

Winners are admired, adored, envied and despised.

Two Winston Cup championships, 119 career victories and nearly $1 million in career earnings, even before the start of the 1971 season, brought Richard Petty the adulation of NASCAR fans, but his unparalleled success also made him the target of his competitors.

Petty began the season on the pole of the Motor Trend 500 road race at California’s Riverside Int’l Raceway, but lost his engine on the 107th lap and settled for 20th. Next was Speedweeks in Daytona Beach, Fla., and the Daytona 500, which Petty won in 1964 and ’66.

While three-time Indianapolis 500 champ A.J. Foyt appeared in control of the race with 39 laps to go, he ran out of fuel, coasted into the pits and returned to the race one lap down in eighth place. This moved Petty into third behind Donnie Allison and thebother Petty Enterprises entry driven by Buddy Baker.

As Allison and Baker swapped the lead back and forth over the next nine turns, Petty waited for his chance. A lap-163 caution flag for former teammate Pete Hamilton’s engine failure and Allison’s accident brought him to Baker’s rumper. The Randleman, N.C., cohorts raced side-by-side until Petty took the point for the final time on the 181st lap.

Although Petty won the Daytona 500 for a then-record third time, it was the Plymouth Road Runner’s second visit to victory lane in 1971, which ignited the Petty bashing. Prior to the March 7 Richmond (Va.) 500, Petty, Benny Parsons and Charlie Glotzbach were banned from qualifying because their engines were too close to their dashboards. However, all three would be allowed to race if their cars could be redesigned in time.

The Petty team worked all night, but could not redesign the engine mounts to meet NASCAR specifications, so the No. 43 car was forced to race with a one-inch carburetor restrictor plate as a handicap and started last in the race. Yet, the handicap failed to slow the car which Petty had in fifth by the 30th lap and in first on the 234th tour around the .542-mile oval. When “The King” finished first, the controversy started.

The March 17 issue of NSSN asked the question, “ls Richard Petty being given preferential treatment, as some drivers contend, or are he and his crew simply superior?”

Was Petty NASCAR’s Promotional Tool?

After Petty’s “handicapped” victory in Richmond, many felt Petty’s good looks and pleasant personality were being used by NASCAR as a promotional tool and the sanctioning body…