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.
“Spanning forty years and more than three hundred victories, the contributions of countless people have built Hendrick Motorsports into the greatest team in NASCAR history. This book is made up of their stories.” —Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon, from the foreword
Celebrate the NASCAR-champion team’s 40th anniversary with this officially licensed history featuring stunning photography, including rare images from the Hendrick Motorsports archive.Rick Hendrick built on a successful career in the retail automotive business to launch NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports in 1984. Over the ensuing four decades, it has become one of the most successful and high-profile teams in the sport’s long history. Competing in the elite NASCAR Cup Series, as of 2023, the team had posted the most points-paying wins and the most championships.
Hendrick Motorsports’ driver roster is a who’s who of the sport’s greats, including NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Terry Labonte, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Today the team fields four drivers: William Byron, Alex Bowman, and Cup champions Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. Hendrick Motorsports even fielded a team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023!
Hendrick Motorsportsrelates the team’s incredible history through 40 stories focused on team milestones since its founding in 1984. Stories and highlights include:
- The first win at Martinsville that saved the team
- Involvement with the motion picture “Days of Thunder”
- The dominance of Jeff Gordon and the Rainbow Warriors
- The team’s historic 1-2-3 finish at the 1997 DAYTONA 500
- The record-tying seven championships of Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus
- Hendrick Motorsports and the Earnhardts
- Becoming the first team to reach 300 wins at NASCAR's highest level
- The ground-breaking Garage 56 Le Mans program
Authored by long-time NASCAR journalist Ben White, with a foreword by Jeff Gordon and afterword by Rick Hendrick, the 200-page book includes images from top NASCAR photographer Nigel Kinrade and from Hendrick Motorsport’s archive. As the official 40th anniversary book covering the team’s entire history,
Hendrick Motorsport: 40 Years is the ideal retrospective.
