“My Time…Was Short” – Kyle Petty Reminisces About His Driver Years With the Legendary NASCAR Owner as He Pens a Heartfelt Message

Charles Everett Ellington, or as the NASCAR community fondly calls him, ‘Hoss,’ has been the voice on the team radio for some of the best drivers in the sport’s history. His star-studded drivers’ list includes champions like AJ Foyt, Cale Yarborough, and Dale Jarrett. Many fans might not remember Kyle Petty’s brief stint with Hoss Ellington’s team, but Petty does, and that too quite clearly.

Recalling his golden days of driving in NASCAR, Kyle Petty ran down memory lane to arrive at the 1981 Firecracker 400. Running the No. 1 car in the season-opening race at the Daytona International Speedway, Petty drove the prestigious STP-sponsored Buick. Tweeting about the same, the 63-year-old claimed his experience with Hoss Ellington was unforgettable.

Kyle Petty and his soft corner for Hoss Ellington

Expressing his gratitude to the late NASCAR team owner, Kyle Petty wrote, “1981. Hoss Ellington and the No. 1. The start of the season. Daytona around the corner. Always reminds me how fortunate I was to work with some great owners and teams. My time with Hoss was short, but the memories of this group are some of my most special.“

Kyle Petty’s move to Hoss Ellington for a short stint was one of the most unexpected moments of the season. One of the primary motives behind the change of pace was Richard Petty‘s intention to be more competitive alongside his son. As a result, Kyle was going to race on superspeedways with Ellington and would return to Petty Enterprises for other races.

Richard Petty said about the team’s intended outcome from the move, “Hoss will prepare cars for Kyle on the superspeedways only. We feel like this way, both Kyle and I can be competitive in every race. The way things have been going it has been too gosh darned difficult for our operation to field strong cars week after week.”

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Switching teams was a seamless transition with STP Corporation supplying lifetime sponsorship contracts to the Petty father-son duo. Kyle Petty was in his only second full-time season in the Grand National as a 22-year-old, aiming to climb the NASCAR ladder gradually. However, the partnership with Hoss Ellington lasted only a short time and ended right before the completion of the deal.

A crack in the dynamic between Petty and Hoss Ellington

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After the 1982 National 50 race in Charlotte, Hoss Ellington was highly dissatisfied with Kyle Petty’s performance. Moreover, there was a disagreement between the pair after a round of blame games. Petty finished 29th in a 40-car race, and this angered Ellington. Lashing at the younger Petty, Ellington claimed, “I know my car will run. He just hasn’t been running it. I’m going to put somebody else in the car, and let’s wait and see if it doesn’t run then.”

Well, having not won a Grand National race in four years, things were getting difficult for Kyle Petty as the expectations kept mounting. However, he didn’t hold back about the No. 1 Buick’s performance in the garage either. According to him, the car had ‘no handling and no motor.’

The agreement between Petty Enterprises and Hoss Ellington was meant to be completed when Petty drove on seven superspeedways in the #1 car. However, owing to the fallout, both parties backed out of the deal in the sixth superspeedway event for Kyle Petty in Charlotte. This was the first time a Petty had competed in a non-Petty Enterprises car in 30 years, so this was a big deal in the NASCAR community.

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Richard and Kyle Petty continued their search for a big team and kept their stance of increasing competition through rides in different teams. Morgan Shepherd emerged as the most favorable suitor for Kyle Petty’s talents. However, the partnership with Hoss Ellington was something Kyle Petty wanted to extend and evolve over the years.