Richard Petty sticks Stock Car into Mouth
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by user Thecrookedcap
If Richard Petty is the King, the kind of king he is isn't an enlightened one.
Recently, NASCAR's all-time wins leader came out against the presence of women drivers in auto racing, hardly buding from a stance he has had ever since Janet Guthrie tried to break through the sport's ranks in the 70s.
Yes, Richard Petty is old, 69 to be exact. But I don't see it as an excuse. Because Petty is a legend in the sport, not to mention a car owner, he has a public image. Additionally, he is an ambassador for his sport.
This is not an issue of political correctness. It's an issue of politically intelligence. These kinds of comments don't fit in with the contemporary image of NASCAR. They're akin to the hillbilly good-ol-boy with which NASCAR has its roots.
However, we're talking about a sport that is no longer regional: the last four Cup champions have been from Indiana, Nevada, Wisconsin, and California. It's a sport that has fans that are not white men, women and minority watch too (in fact, the person whom I talk about NASCAR with the most is female). The kind of comments he made only perpetuates stereotypes and makes him less relevant to the modern NASCAR.
Date
Sat 05/27/06, 7:13 am EST
