Richard Petty – The King’s Reign Ends

1983 Carolina 500 – Rockingham, NC  (87 minutes)
An old ESPN Classic broadcast (watermark in corner), this is amazingly clear footage, with very
modern camera angles and views, similar to what we see in today’s TV coverage. This race was
originally shown live on ESPN back in 1983, and most of the race is shown complete, as live
coverage and not highlight reels. This would be Richard Petty’s 196th win, and it was a hard
fought one, coming down to the wire against a hard charging Bill Elliott.

1984 Firecracker 400 – Daytona Beach, FL  (30 minutes)
One of the most memorable moments in NASCAR history, Richard Petty’s 200th win. Originally aired as tape delayed
coverage on ABC’s Wide World Of Sports, the racing world watched with great anticipation wondering if Richard
could win at Daytona one more time. Petty’s record stood at 199, and some wondered if he would ever get his 200th.
Wins were getting harder and harder to come by for The King. Younger drivers like Elliott, Waltrip, Labonte, Gant,
and Earnhardt were the future of the sport, and big money and sponsorships aimed for youthful drivers. The old
guard, drivers like Cale Yarborough, Buddy Baker, and Bobby Allison, were in their final years. Petty struggled in
1983-1984, with many top 10 finishes, but wins were now few and far between. But then the moment finally came, and
the timing was perfect. President Ronald Reagan, eager to promote the July 4th weekend and the inaugural Firecracker
400, was in attendance. While Reagan was far from a NASCAR fan, he enjoyed the all-American feel of NASCAR racing,
and was pleased that he could congratulate a legend of the sport on such a momentous occasion.

Richard Petty : Last Lap  (4 min)
Richard Petty’s final lap, broadcast live on November 12th, 1992. After the race ended,
Petty emerged from the pit lane in his battered Pontiac Grand Prix, the nose gone from an
earlier accident, and makes a final lap to cheering fans. This clip is also on our “Guts And Glory – Vol 2”
edition, but we included it here as well as we felt this was a fitting end to this DVD.

NOTE : Please understand that these highlight reels were originally shot on film, not video. I am trying to be
as honest as I can about the film quality. These films were originally intended for the smaller TV sets
of the 80’s, so they may appear grainy on the big TV sets of today.  All films are in COLOR.