Kyle Larson and other Hendrick Motorsports members pay homage to late Dr. Jerry Petty

Modified Apr 24, 2025 22:19 GMT

NASCAR: Food City 500 - Source: Imagn — Kyle Larson during the 2025 Food City 500 - Source: Imagn

Hendrick Motorsports will pay homage to the late Dr. Jerry Petty at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. All four Cup drivers, including Kyle Larson, will feature a memorial decal honoring the legacy of Dr. Petty, who passed away at 90.

Even before NASCAR's modern era began, Dr. Jerry Petty partook in the stock car racing league's medical department. Graduated from the University of North Carolina Medical School in 1960, the late neurosurgeon looked after drivers such as Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Tifft.

Speaking about the tribute for Dr. Petty at Talladega Superspeedway, Hendrick Motorsports said in a press release (via The Racing Experts on X):

"This weekend, all four Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet race cars will carry a memorial decal at Talladega Superspeedway honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Jerry Petty."

"A pioneering neurosurgeon and trusted medical consultant to countless drivers and teams, Dr. Petty was a beloved figure in the NASCAR community," the Chevrolet-affiliated team added.

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The HMS drivers will enter the Talladega race weekend with familiar paint schemes except for Chase Elliott, who will debut an Amazon Prime livery in the #9 Chevrolet Camaro. Kyle Larson will pilot the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevy, while William Byron will run a Valvoline livery on his #24 car. As for Alex Bowman, the #48 driver will sport an Ally Financial livery.

The Jack Link's 500 at the 2.66-mile Alabama track will happen on April 27 (Sunday) at 3:00 p.m. ET on Fox. It is the second superspeedway track and third drafting-style race of the year.

After nine races in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, Byron leads the standings with one win earned in the Daytona 500. Larson ranks fourth with two wins, ahead of Elliott in fifth and Bowman in 10th.

"He's celebrating with us in spirit": Kyle Larson on late Hendrick Motorsports ally after winning at Bristol

After winning the last race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson paid homage to his PR representative and Hendrick Motorsports' director of racing communication, Jon Edwards. In a post-race interview, the #5 driver wished to share the victory lane with Edwards in a race he dominated from start to finish.

Larson led 411 of 500 laps at the World's Fastest Half-Mile, beating then-defending Food City 500 winner Denny Hamlin to the finish line by 2.250 seconds. His performance was reminiscent of last year's Bristol night race, where he led 462 laps and won.

"This one's definitely for Jon (Edwards). He's just a great guy, so we're going to miss him," Larson said via NASCAR [0:12].

"Successful weekend here. Wish he was going to be here with us to celebrate, but I know he's celebrating with us in spirit," he added.

Hendrick Motorsports did not disclose the reason why Jon Edwards passed at 52. Edwards worked with the team all the way back in Jeff Gordon's early Winston Cup career, witnessing the then #24 Chevrolet driver win four championships.

He moved to the #5 team of Kyle Larson in the 2021 season, when the now 31-time Cup race winner bagged his first championship title.

About the author

Zarec Sanchez got into cars as a kid when the NASCAR-based movie "Cars" came out. Fast forward to today, he gets to write about the sport with Sportskeeda. He is a seasoned writer with over six years of experience in aviation and automotive journalism. After completing his associate degree in aviation, he started his career as an aviation writer before transitioning into the automotive and motorsports fields, contributing to publications such as Stars Aviation, Philkotse, Daily Tribune, and CarBuzz.

Dedicated to providing accurate and relevant content, Zarec ensures his work reflects both his character and the company's guidelines. He stays updated with the latest developments in motorsports by utilizing various resources, including fan interactions that offer unique perspectives. He also attends media events to test-drive new cars and interview industry leaders.

While he has a deep appreciation for both drivers and constructors, Zarec finds himself drawn to the strategy and history behind the constructor battles. He is excited about the future of F1, especially with the entry of brands like Ford and the shift towards an electrified era.

He believes NASCAR has the potential to expand its global reach and popularity, although he feels it should avoid becoming fully electric. When away from his keyboard, Zarec likes to watch any content related to aviation, such as flight trip reports.

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Edited by Rupesh