Kyle Petty wishes legendary NASCAR figure Leonard Wood on his birthday: “like a trip through the old garage area”

Kyle Petty recently took to his social media to extend heartfelt birthday wishes to Leonard Wood on his 90th birthday, sharing snapshots of their times together. Petty expressed his gratitude towards Wood for the chance to pilot the #7 and #21 cars, and for the friendship they've shared.

Kyle Petty, who started his NASCAR Cup career in 1979 with Petty Enterprises, made several team changes throughout his career but always found his way back to his family's team. In a team shift in 1985, Petty joined Wood Brothers Racing, taking his number #7 and sponsorship along with him.

During his tenure with Wood Brothers Racing, Petty achieved his then career-best seven top-5s and his first top-10 finish in the points standings. His time with the team was marked by his first career victory at the 1986 in Richmond, culminating in a P10 finish in the final standings that year.

Expressing his appreciation for Leonard Wood, a former NASCAR crew chief, engine builder, and co-founder of Wood Brothers Racing, Kyle Petty acknowledged Wood's impact on his career. Petty shared his sentiments on his official X account, celebrating the legacy and friendship with a thoughtful birthday post.

"Happy 90th Birthday Leonard Wood! It’s special when you get to work with one of your heroes but more special when you can also call them a friend. Today was like a trip through the old garage area - so many came to wish Leonard a happy birthday 🎂 @woodbrothers21"

Leonard Wood was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2013, celebrated for his contributions to NASCAR and his role as the innovator of the modern pit stop.

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Kyle Petty calls the Joe Gibbs Racing driver "his own worst enemy"

Reflecting on Denny Hamlin's less-than-satisfactory start to the playoff season, Kyle Petty provided some critical insights on the #11 Toyota Camry driver. He suggested that Hamlin’s tendency to overthink and overanalyze might be undermining his performance. With the ongoing charter negotiation turmoil since the playoffs began, Petty remarked that Hamlin has not been fulfilling his potential.

Kyle Petty noted:

"He’s that guy! You can’t take that away from it. At the same time, he’s his own worst enemy in a lot of ways. He is his own competitor, and it is between his ears in a lot of cases, I think we saw that at Atlanta, and I think we’ve seen it other times in his career; this is not something new to Denny Hamlin." [at 2:20]

Nonetheless, after the Bristol race, in a recent NASCAR video breakdown of Hamlin’s execution in Bass Pro Shops Night Race, securing his advancement to the Round of 12, Petty acknowledged,

"He went out, got his stage points in stage 1, got his stage points in Stage 2 and did what he needed to do. [...] Denny's in that championship mode." [at 0:22]

It remains to be seen how Hamlin will fare in the upcoming first race of the Round of 12 at Kansas Speedway, slated for September 29, 2024, at 3:00 PM ET.