“It’s like going home.” This is how Richard Petty described NASCAR’s historic return to Bowman Gray Stadium. Richard Petty won his 100th race at ‘The Madhouse’ in 1969, yet his feelings toward the track are rather surprising. The King has amassed 200 Cup Series victories and 7 championships and also started a 10-race single-season win streak at the North Carolina track in 1967. After the track was removed from the Cup Series schedule in 1971, fans were patiently waiting for the day it would return and that day has finally arrived.
With the iconic Busch Light Clash just a day away, NASCAR fans cannot help but turn into a frenzy with high expectations. The return to Bowman Gray after 54 long years comes with a ton of excitement. Built in the year 1937, this track has seen quite a monumental growth and the celebration of some of the most iconic achievements in the sport. Richard Petty revealed his memories from the track in a candid conversation with Kyle Petty.
Richard Petty remembers his days at the Madhouse
Richard Petty’s legacy is unmatched. However, much of his racing experience has had to do with Bowman Gray, a track that has been sparking a lot of debates in the recent few weeks. Though many fans are aware of his 200 career wins, fewer know that he made just his fourth Cup Series start at the iconic quarter-mile track in Winston-Salem. Petty has accounted for four wins at Bowman Gray and described his feelings during his first time out at ‘The Madhouse’, saying, “I had no idea what was going on or anything. I think I spent more time in the infield than I did on the racetrack.”
One of the very well-known things about the Bowman Gray track is that it is a short track and the compact ridges that add to the excitement. The limited space of the track is also one of the major reasons why drivers become too frustrated and try to wreck each other. Speaking of the experience he had whenever he went to ‘The Madhouse,’ Petty said, “The most nervous I have been in a race car was when we got to Bowman Gray. Now why, I don’t get it”. We can understand why Petty felt like this as the proximity to the fans and claustrophobic nature of the track unsettled a lot of drivers, even the best of them like Petty.
If we go back and rewind to the start of NASCAR, it was in Bowman Gray that the very first NASCAR-sanctioned race was held. Citing how Bowman Gray has become an integral part of NASCAR, Petty said, “You gotta figure when NASCAR first started it started in Greensboro and Winston – Salem”. From a time frame of 1958 to 1971, the North Carolina track had hosted 29 races. These races were at the topmost level – the Cup Series. Now it returns to host the first preseason race of 2025, as fans wait with bated breath.
Speaking of the 100th victory, Richard Petty said, “We got very little publicity. They didn’t have the TV, the press and stuff that NASCAR has today, so it was just another race. The only thing I really, really remember was that it was the Myers Brothers Memorial and their two wives were there and gave me the trophy.” Bowman Gray holds a special place in Richard Petty’s career, not only as the site of his early starts but also as a symbol of the grit and excitement that defined his legendary journey.
Kyle Petty says NASCAR is coming back to its “roots”
It’s not only Richard Petty who has spoken fondly about the memories that have made Bowman Gray so legendary. His son, Kyle Petty has also resigned with similar feelings. He posted on X, “The 2025 Clash is bringing NASCAR back to its roots—Bowman Gray Stadium. Where legends like Glen Wood and The Wood Brothers and Richard Childress got their start. They say you can’t go home again—Bowman Gray and NASCAR are going to try to prove them wrong”.
He further spoke about the heroes who have already set their mark on the tracks. Petty added, “The Wood Brothers… they started here… Billy and Bobby Myers, the Myers Brothers Award is named after them, pioneers in the sport. Richard Childress sold peanuts and popcorn in the stands here. He went on to be Dale Earnhardt’s owner and a champion owner at that in the Cup Series. And Richard Petty won his 100th race here. There is so much history in this place.” The Myers family has a generational history with the track as the family alone has amassed over 200 wins at the track. 49-year-old Burt Myers will be making his Cup Series debut in 2025 at ‘The Madhouse’ where he has won 11 Modified Championships.
NASCAR’s return to Bowman Gray brings the sport back to where legends were made and the foundation was laid. As new drivers prepare to race at the historic track for the first time, whether they will keep up with the legacy is a test of time. What do you think of NASCAR’s return to Bowman Gray Stadium?
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