Petty GMS Event Preview: Darlington Raceway

Ty Dillon, No. 42 Petty GMS Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Dillon at Darlington Raceway:

– Dillon has competed in six NASCAR Cup Series events at Darlington Raceway, recording four top-20 finishes. Running a limited schedule in 2021, the 30-year-old did not participate in any Cup Series event at the South Carolina track last season. Dillon has also driven in seven NASCAR Xfinity Series races, posting three top-10 results and never finishing outside of the top-15.

– Throwing Back to 1959: For the traditional Throwback Weekend, Dillon will honor the patriarch of the Petty family, Lee, by sporting the No. 42 design that captured the victory in the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959.

Lee, who began his driving career at the age of 35, battled John Beauchamp in the closing 30 laps. Coming side-by-side at the white flag as the only two cars on the lead lap, both caught Joe Weatherly on backstretch, creating a three-wide spectacle. After a close finish, Lee and Beauchamp together drove to Victory Lane before NASCAR named Beauchamp the winner. Lee immediately protested the result and after three days of review and photo evidence, the No. 42 was declared the official victor.

– Trackside Live: On Sunday, May 8 from 1:15 to 1:30 p.m. ET, Dillon will make an appearance at the Trackside Live Stage in the Darlington Raceway Fan Zone, for a live recording of the Stacking Pennies podcast. Dillon and host Corey LaJoie will chat about Throwback Weekend, running Lee Petty’s No. 42, and more. Stop by to have a first listen at the episode.

– About Petty GMS: Petty GMS competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, operating the No. 42 Chevrolet for Dillon and the No. 43 Chevrolet for Erik Jones. The newly formed team brought together two storied organizations in December 2021. Over the last decade, owner Maury Gallagher built a victorious team, capturing two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championships, one ARCA Menards Series title, and two ARCA Menards Series East championships, as well as 65 wins and 235 top-five finishes across six series. Richard Petty, a member of the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2010, serves as Chairman of Petty GMS. Petty, known as “The King,” accumulated 200 wins and was the first of three drivers to win seven championships in the Cup Series. 

– From the Drivers Seat: What does it mean to drive a Lee Petty throwback scheme this weekend at Darlington?

“It’s such an honor to not only drive the No. 42 each week but run Lee’s inaugural Daytona 500 victory scheme this weekend at Darlington. I don’t know if people realize the No. 42 was originally made famous by Lee, Richard’s father. He was the originator of the Petty name and very successful from day one in NASCAR as we know it. I hope to bring honor to his name and number with a modern twist and bring it back to Victory Lane.” 

Erik Jones, No. 43 FOCUSfactor Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Jones at Darlington Raceway:

– Jones has competed in eight NASCAR Cup Series races at Darlington Raceway, earning one win (Southern 500 in 2019), four top-five and six top-10 results. The 25-year-old also has two starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, never finishing outside of the top-six.

– Honoring The King: As the Petty GMS organization throws back to the 1959 Daytona 500 for Throwback Weekend at Darlington, Jones will honor Richard Petty by sporting an iconic Petty blue scheme with FOCUSfactor on the hood and quarter panels.

Despite being one of 20 qualifiers who entered in a convertible, Richard qualified in the sixth position. Driving the No. 43 for the first time in competition, the 21-year-old experienced an engine failure just eight laps into the race, cutting his Daytona 500 debut short. During the 1959 season, Richard went on to earn NASCAR Rookie of the Year honors after garnering six top-five and nine top-10 finishes.

– #READwithErik Live: On Sunday, May 8 from 12:30 to 12:45 p.m. ET, Jones will visit the Kids Zone Stage in the Darlington Raceway Fan Zone to host a live Reading Corner event. The Michigan native has been an avid reader throughout his life and shares this passion with his fans. Through his #READwithErik videos, Jones hopes to inspire children and encourage them to pursue an interest in reading.

– About FOCUSfactor: FOCUSfactor is sold at America’s leading retailers such as Costco, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, CVS, The Vitamin Shoppe and Amazon.com. FOCUSfactor, America’s leading brain health supplement, is a nutritional supplement that includes a proprietary blend of brain supporting vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients. In December 2012, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued US Patent 8,329,227 covering FOCUSfactor’s proprietary formulation “for enhanced mental function”. The issuance of the patent marked one of the few times a patent has been issued for a nationally branded nutritional supplement. FOCUSfactor is clinically tested with results demonstrating improvements in focus, concentration and memory in healthy adults.

– From the Drivers Seat: Driving the Next Gen car has been a transition for all drivers, but it seems like the No. 43 team has benefitted from that. What has stuck out to you as things you have to do differently in this car?

“I think it’s just pushing the boundaries of what guys are fighting. I look back to Auto Club and Vegas earlier this season where our FOCUSfactor Chevrolet was really strong. A lot of that was entry and some guys weren’t comfortable on entry speed, but I felt like we excelled there. You always look to take advantage of that, but it also comes down to driving style. What we’ve done a good job of is adapting to driving something a little snugger over the last couple of years, which has helped with the Next Gen car. Guys want to drive a loose car, but you can’t hang this car out and rip it like the old car. You have to be a little more patient and easier on it. The corrections are so fast and so hard to make with the steering and tires combined. It’s easy to get yourself in a bad situation. The approach is different at the faster tracks.”