BUSCH: Adam Petty to make WCS Debut at Texas

FORT WORTH-DALLAS (March 20, 2000) - The Petty name has been synonymous with stock car racing for more than 50 years. Now, a fourth generation Petty is bidding to drive in his first NASCAR Winston Cup race at DIRECTV 500 on April 2 at Texas Motor Speedway. Adam Petty will attempt to qualify the #45 Sprint Chevrolet Monte Carlo for the Texas race. "Qualifying for the race will be a challenge, but I plan to give it my best," Petty said during a break while testing his Winston Cup car on Monday at Texas Motor Speedway. "I really like running here at Texas. I qualified third here in the Busch Series last season, and I had a good run in the truck race. My family is behind me, and it's nice to know Sprint is too." Petty is a regular on the NASCAR Busch Grand National Division Series, where he has posted three top five finishes since joining that circuit full time last year. He finished 20th in the Busch points championship in 1999 and was third in the Rookie of the Year points behind Tony Raines and Hank Parker, Jr. Petty entered 29 Busch Series races last year, posting a career best fourth-place finish at California Speedway on May 1, 1999. Petty became the youngest winning driver (18) in ARCA history when he won at Charlotte on September 30, 1998. He raced primarily on the ARCA circuit in 1998 and made three Busch Series races that year for owner Tad Gaeschickter. Petty follows in the footsteps of father Kyle, who owns the #45 Sprint car, grandfather Richard, and great-grandfather Lee in continuing the legacy of the family name in NASCAR Winston Cup racing. "Any father would be proud to have his son be successful at anything," Kyle Petty said. "I look at it this way. I get to do something most fathers don't get a chance to do and that is to help my son succeed on the job." For ticket information on the DIRECTV 500 and the Busch Series Albertson's 300 presented by Pop Secret at Texas Motor Speedway, contact the speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500.

Public Relations Dept. Texas Motor Speedway (817) 215-8520 (817) 215-8424 fax