Get the detailed inside story on the legendary rivalry that helped propel NASCAR from regional curiosity to national phenomenon.The battle for NASCAR dominance was never more pronounced than when Richard Petty and David Pearson met on the track. In 551 head-to-head races between 1960 and 1986, they finished one-two an astounding 63 times (Pearson won 33, Petty 30). Each showdown attracted more media attention and new fans, helping the sport to evolve evermore rapidly.
Petty vs. Pearson is the only book to examine this storied relationship, beginning with their pre-Winston Cup careers. Award-winning motorsports journalist Mike Hembree details:
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The drivers’ backgrounds—Petty earning his way up through a racing dynasty led by his father Lee; Pearson honing his skills as a DIY racer on local South Carolina dirt tracks
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Their first meeting in a Cup event, in 1960
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The memorable battles, including their legendary wild finish at the 1976 Daytona 500
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Parallel careers that coincided with seismic changes to NASCAR: the advent of superspeedways, the “aero wars,” the injection of corporate money, and a new generation of star drivers in the 1980s
While their rivalry produced amazing finishes and tense moments, Petty and Pearson were friends throughout.
Petty vs. Pearson examines that relationship, including their retirements in 1986 (Pearson) and 1992 (Petty) and their lives in NASCAR beyond the driver’s seat.
Throughout the riveting text, Hembree draws on
original interviews with both drivers (including interviews conducted with Petty in early 2024), those who witnessed the rivalry, and NASCAR figures who came later. The result is an entertaining and essential account of two storied drivers—and friends—who bridged NASCAR’s rollicking early years and the sophisticated entertainment concern it is today.
Featuring a
foreword by Terry Labonte, a legendary driver in his own right,
Petty vs. Pearson is a must-have for every fan’s collection.
In this officially licensed and stunningly illustrated volume, get a thrilling, up-close-and-personal look at NASCAR’s mavericks and key moments from the dawn of the sport to present day. In every sport there are mavericks—trailblazers, risk-takers, hell-raisers, forward-thinkers—who drive the breakthroughs and advances that shape and define the sport. Written by longtime motorsports journalists H.A. Branham and Holly Cain,
NASCAR Mavericks covers the NASCAR story in chronological order, focusing on key movers and shakers—the men and women key to the sport’s evolution—often related through first-hand stories. Racing great Tony Stewart’s foreword sets the scene.
Accompanied by exceptional
images sourced from NASCAR’s archives plus other top photographers, the profiles include such NASCAR legends as:
- Bill France Sr. and Bill France Jr.
- The Flock Brothers
- Lee and Richard Petty
- Smokey Yunick
- Janet Guthrie
- The Earnhardts
- Humpy Wheeler
- Tony Stewart
Interspersed with the maverick profiles are
sidebars highlighting legendary races, machines, and events like the first Daytona 500, Plymouth’s Hemi Superbird, record-setting pit stops, Jeff Gordon’s T-Rex car, and more.
NASCAR Mavericks proves that racing always improves the breed!
