Richard Petty proposes bold idea to NASCAR regarding championship-deciding venue

Richard Petty recently proposed an idea for conducting the NASCAR championship to make it fairer for all drivers. Given that the final race's track type could disadvantage those less skilled on certain racetracks, he suggested hosting multiple championship races across different types of tracks.

Petty, a legendary figure in NASCAR and a second-generation driver whose father, Lee Petty, claimed victory in the first Daytona 500, has an impressive record. Over his 35-year career, Richard Petty started 1,184 races, securing 200 wins, achieving top-10 finishes in 712 races, and capturing 123 pole positions. He holds the record for the most NASCAR Cup championship victories.

His idea for multiple championship races springs from critiques by several drivers who excel on specific tracks, such as superspeedways or road courses, and feel that a championship at a short track like Phoenix places them at a disadvantage. Addressing this concern, Petty outlined his proposal in response to a fan's inquiry for his perspective on enhancing the championship format, who asked:

"Where do you think the championship should be held?"

Richard Petty answered the question through a video on his official X account, proposing:

"I don't know that the championship should be one race. I think the championships should be two or three races. Again, three different kinds of race tracks involved. The way it is; we're going to go to Pheonix I guess and if you just happen to like that kind of track or something, then you got a chance to win the championship. But if you're a road racer, then you're not going to do good on that."

Meanwhile, during the same discussion, his co-host Dale Inman reflected on the atmosphere at Darlington, suggesting that its vibrant crowd made it an ideal venue for hosting the final race and deciding the championship there.

---

Richard Petty predicts the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Champion

Just before the first playoff race that happened at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Richard Petty and his veteran crew chief shared their picks for the 2024 Cup Series title. Although they each had different favorites, the duo finally concurred on three options they believe have a strong chance of reaching the championship four.

Their foremost choices for the championship contenders were Christopher Bell, selected by Dale Inman, Denny Hamlin, chosen by Richard Petty himself, and the entire Joe Gibbs Racing team, a joint selection by Petty and Inman.

Additionally, they forecasted that Austin Cindric, Daniel Suarez, Chase Briscoe, and Harrison Burton would be the earliest to be ousted from the Round of 16.

As it stands, Joey Logano of Team Penske clinched the victory at the first playoff race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. However, with the upcoming race slated for the road course at Watkins Glen, all eyes will be on Chase Elliott, who, with seven road course victories to his name, is only bested by Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, with nine and eight wins, respectively.