RCR’s Executive VP Reveals How NASCAR Icon Ned Jarrett Saved His Career During Dark Times

Just a short while back, Richard Childress Racing had some exciting news. They promoted three key team members. One of them was Andy Petree, who climbed the ladder to become the executive vice president. In this new role, he’s set to have a major influence in every corner of the half-a-century-old racing team. Reflecting on his journey to this high-ranking position, Petree gave a nod to Ned Jarrett for giving him a leg up at the start of his career.

Most people mainly recognize Andy Petree for his role as Dale Earnhardt‘s crew chief during their championship runs in 1993 and 1994. However, Petree’s origins in racing go back to the very grassroots of the sport. Did you know he began his journey in racing as a tire changer? That’s right!

Andy Petree’s journey is about being at the right place at the right time

Chatting on the Fast Car 2 NASCAR podcast with Mike Wallace, Petree reminisced about his early days. Around 1981, he was dabbling in part-time racing at Hickory but sensed his job was on shaky ground. That’s when he reached out to Ned Jarrett for a helping hand. Thanks to Jarrett’s connections, Petree found himself in front of Junior Johnson, landing a gig as a tire changer for Darrell Waltrip – a role that would contribute to Waltrip’s first NASCAR Cup championship that very season.

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But the real catch was – Petree confessed he was a greenhorn in the world of tire changing: “I go down there and they’d have some problems on the pit crew and he was going to replace the rear tire changer. And Ned apparently really oversold this. (laughing) I’m telling you this, no kidding. Now we’re running the limit as forcemen, right? We don’t change tires, we’re going to make pit stops. But he convinced Junior [that] I was this great tire changer. He hires me on the spot to go.”

Despite his lack of experience, fortune favored Petree as they clinched the Cup, proving a lucky break for him. He eventually joined the team of Leo and Richard Jackson, climbing the ranks steadily. By 1987, at the age of just 28, he became the crew chief for Phil Parsons.

And the rest, as they say, is history. Petree went on to be the crew chief for the iconic Dale Earnhardt Sr, which paved the way for him to establish his own team.

Andy Petree joined the Richard Childress Racing team after 22 years of various endeavors

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Back in 1992, Richard Childress was looking for a new crew chief for the five-time NASCAR Cup champ, Dale Earnhardt, and Andy Petree caught his eye. The pair hit it off right away, bagging back-to-back championships in ’93 and ’94. In their three seasons together, they clinched two championships and celebrated 15 race wins.

After that, a new chapter began for Petree when Leo Jackson, his former boss, decided to hang up his hat and offered to sell his team to Petree. Seizing the opportunity, Petree formed Andy Petree Racing. Starting as a single-car outfit, it soon expanded into a two-car operation. Over eight years and 322 races, his team notched up two wins, 16 top-fives, 54 top-10s, six pole positions, and pocketed $17.6 million in winnings.

Petree, with a handful of NASCAR Xfinity races as a driver, briefly jumped back into the driver’s seat after winding down his Cup team operations. He dabbled in one Modified, seven Camping World Truck Series, and two ARCA races before pivoting to a career in television.

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From 2007 to 2014, Petree shared his insights as a color commentator for ESPN. In 2015, Fox Sports brought him on board as a rules analyst for their NASCAR broadcasts, though he didn’t stick around for a second season. Fast forward to 2017, and Petree made his way back to Richard Childress Racing, this time stepping in as the vice president of competition.