Richard Petty has spent decades being introduced as one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers. But on October 20, the seven-time Cup Series champion found himself on a campaign stage in Greenville, North Carolina, making a different kind of pitch. Standing beside President Donald Trump, Petty reached for a familiar racing comparison to explain why voters should help the president win. With the midterm elections approaching, his choice of words had a clear political purpose.
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“I’m going to look at it. Alright? I’m going to use him as the driver. This is the best driver we’ve ever had.” Petty said on stage.
Trump had brought Petty along on Air Force One before inviting him onto the stage at Pitt-Greenville Airport. The president was in North Carolina to rally support for Republican candidates, especially Senate hopeful Michael Whatley. Petty’s appearance gave the event a connection to NASCAR, but his short speech was about politics, not racing. He wanted the crowd to see the election as a team effort, with Trump behind the wheel and voters responsible for choosing the people around him.
Petty knows better than most that a driver cannot do everything alone. That was where his analogy went next.
“So what we’ve got to do is you all have got to pick out the best pit crew for you. So we’ve got to have the best pit crew.”
In NASCAR, a fast car and a talented driver are only part of the equation. The pit crew has to change tires, service the car and get its driver back into the race without wasting precious seconds. Petty used that basic idea to make a case for electing Republicans who would support Trump’s agenda.
“Let’s get out and get the very best pit crew we can for the best driver in the world.”
The comparison was simple enough for any racing fan to understand. Its timing, however, deserves a closer look. The November 3 midterms will determine control of Congress, and North Carolina has one of the Senate seats Republicans need to defend. Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chairman backed by Trump, is running against former Democratic governor Roy Cooper for the seat being vacated by Republican Senator Thom Tillis.
The numbers have not been encouraging for Whatley. A WRAL/WSOC poll released October 13 put Cooper ahead by 14 points among likely voters, with 54% supporting the Democrat and 40% backing Whatley. Whatley was also struggling to match Cooper’s fundraising and advertising spending. National Republican groups had pulled back significant financial support, leaving the campaign facing a difficult final stretch. Source: WRAL
That helps explain why Trump’s visit mattered. The president was trying to energize Republican voters in a state he won in 2024, even as his preferred Senate candidate trailed in the polls. Petty’s endorsement did not address the polling gap or Whatley’s lack of advertising support. Instead, it offered the campaign something different: a familiar North Carolina figure urging voters to get behind Trump’s team.
Why NASCAR’s most famous King was on Trump’s stage
Petty’s name carries considerable weight in American motorsports. He has 200 career victories in NASCAR’s premier Cup Series, the most in its history, and seven championships. His record ties him with Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jimmie Johnson for the series’ championship mark. Those achievements explain why Trump introduced him as a legend before handing him the microphone.
Petty is also a North Carolina native, born in Level Cross and long associated with the state’s racing culture. His connection to Trump is not new, either. The two have crossed paths at NASCAR events, and Petty has previously appeared with Trump in political settings. The Greenville rally was another public display of that relationship, rather than an announcement of any new role within NASCAR.
That distinction matters. Petty was speaking for himself, not delivering an official endorsement from NASCAR, its teams or its drivers. The sport’s broad fan base includes people with different political views. Still, having a figure known across generations of racing fans appear alongside Trump gives the campaign a recognizable voice from outside the usual political circle.
Petty wrapped up by returning to the outcome he wanted.
“So if we do that, if we can do that, then he’s a winner. Pit crew’s a winner. We’re all winners all over the world. Thank you, guys.”
It was a short speech, but the message was direct. Petty put Trump in the driver’s seat and asked voters to help choose the crew. Whether that appeal helps Republicans in North Carolina remains to be seen. What is clear is that the King was not at Pitt-Greenville Airport to talk about NASCAR’s next race. He was there to help Trump win one of his own.