A magnificent, engrossing and heartfelt documentary! A personal insight to the Petty family legacy and spectacular footage of one of the greatest racing family’s of all time. Covering the ups and downs, life and death and I was extremely impressed by this film. And the DVD also features many special features including deleted scenes, interviews, vintage audio interviews and more.  If you are a Petty fan, “Petty Blue” receives our highest recommendation!
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TITLE: Petty Blue
DOCUMENTARY RELEASE DATE: 2010
DURATION: 91 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Widescreen version enhanced for 16:9 TVs, Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround/English Stereo
RATED: Not Rated
COMPANY: CMT Films/Paramount
Released Dated: September 21, 2010
Directed by Mike Viney
Story by Pam Surbaugh
Written by Shawn Traux
Executive Producer: Jay Abraham, Lewis A. Bogach, Jim Jorden, isa Silfen
Produced by Jeff Hillegrass, Ed Mabe, Tom Surbaugh
Music by John Loeffler, David Wolfert
Cinematography by Al Francesco
Edited by Solomon Horner
Starring:
Kevin Costner (Narrator)
Richard Petty
Kyle Petty
Lynda Petty
Maurice Petty
Pattie Petty
Mike Helton
Dale Inman
Ned Jarrett
The Pettys are one of the greatest racing families in the history of motorsports – four generations whose pursuit of greatness helped NASCAR® become an international phenomenon. PETTY BLUE is the story of their dramatic rise to the top of a sport, told in their own words. Through vintage film, dynamic race footage, archival photos, and candid conversations, relive Lee (#42) becoming the face of NASCAR® in its earliest years, his son Richard “The King†(#43) winning a staggering 200 races, Richard’s son Kyle (#44) defying expectations and rocking the raceway, and Richard’s grandson Adam (#45) breaking records as the first successful fourth-generation competitor in any sport. Narrated by Academy Award® Winner Kevin Costner, PETTY BLUE is more than a movie. It’s a family’s legacy.
“Petty Blue” is a fantastic documentary about the Petty family and the greatest racing families of all time. This is a comprehensive film produced by NASCAR® Media Group and CMT Films and narrated by Academy Award® winner Kevin Costner that gives us a personal view of the Petty family, with original racing footage that many people and NASCAR fans today may have never seen.
The documentary focuses on four generation of Petty’s who helped NASCAR becoming a phenomenon, showcasing the ups and downs of the family, the nature of the business and how it has affected the family but also the tragedies that the family had faced. Featuring interviews with the Petty family, former crew members and also archived racing footage from the last 50 years.
“Petty Blue” kicks off with the Petty family upbringing and how Lee Petty raised his family, especially his sons Richard and Maurice. Racing was a big part of the family and Lee and his sons enjoyed fixing up their cars and take them out to race and how they were looked at like outlaws to the community.
But things changed when stock car racing was made possibly by Bill France who went on to create the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and it would become a living for Lee Petty and how he would provide for his family. Lee Petty (#42) and his sons along with cousin Dale Inman would work on the cars but yet giving tough love to his children.   Lee Petty also didn’t party with most racers, he didn’t partake in the party lifestyle and wanted to change the image of the sport. Winning the first Daytona in 1959 and how he would win several NASCAR titles. Lee Petty would be the face of NASCAR and his contributions to the sport is important to know. What is most impressive is the various footage of Lee Petty and his significant near-death accident which would literally end his career as race car driver but begin his role as the man who would be behind Petty Enterprise and help guide his son Richard to become the best race car driver ever.
Richard Petty (driving the “Petty Blue” #43) talks about being a teenager and learning the business through his father and wanting to race at the age of 18 (which his father was against until he turns 21) and also meeting the young woman Lynda that would become his wife at a young age and get married. Richard talked about his relationship with his father and how he was seen as an employee of the business and how he was expected to win.  Lee would continue his tough love not just as a father but as his boss.  Lee was not the one to give Richard compliments but to give him constructive criticism on ways to improve.
Needless to say, Richard would end up being a successful racer especially earlier in his career and from the ’50s through the ’70s, he would be known as the “Kin” We also learn how Richard treated his fans with the utmost respect and took pictures and gave autographs to his fans and never had an egotistical attitude towards them. He embraced them and through his career he would amass many wins including the championship for the Daytona 500 and NASCAR multiple times.
But as we see one side of the Petty family, we also see the more personal side of the family through Richard’s wife Lynda and the upbringing of their children.  Kyle and Sharon Petty give us an idea how Richard was as a father and because their father was gone and busy with his career, how Lynda took care of the family and how she was strong-willed and was the disciplinarian. We also learn from Richard’s brother Maurice Petty and cousin Dale Inman of how they would contribute to the powerful Petty Enterprise and how they would become innovators in the business in repairing the cars and how, at the time, the team was literally unbeatable.
But how Lee pass the torch to Richard to carry on, it was also the time for Richard to pass the torch to his son Kyle. But would Richard be willing to? Or did he feel in his heart that he could still do it?
The film then shifts its focus on Kyle Petty (#44) and how he walked the beat on his own drum as an athlete, going to college and not knowing what he wanted to be or what career he wanted. But he eventually caught the racing bug and lke father and grandfather like son, he would being to win races as well (especially getting compared to his father).
Richard and family members would talk about Kyle of how he got involved in various activities and by the 70’s, this is where things became complicated for the Petty family. Richard and Kyle were no longer winning racing events and it was too much on the business to have both Richard and Kyle racing and to make things even more complicated for Richard, his right-hand man and cousin, Dale Inman, known for working on Richard’s cars, left Petty Enterprises to pursue other interests.
Throughout the ’70s and early ’80s, the Petty family began to face hardships including a major snafu in which the team was caught cheating for using an illegal engine and Richard’s brother Maurice Petty became the scapegoat for the problem that took place and was fired from Petty Enterprises.
By the mid-’80s, the Petty family was no longer the same.  Richard would record his 200th win but the wins were not coming in like the used to. No longer were the competitors scared of Richard Petty. And in order for Petty Enterprises to survive, a decision had to be made of who would stay with the company and who would leave.   Kyle Petty’s separation from Petty Enterprise would be a positive for his racing career as Kyle would win various competition and create his own identity different from his father. Unlike his father, Kyle would sport the long hair, earrings and even included Kyle also becoming a country singer.
But as for Richard, more and more people felt the racer was past his prime. He was no longer winning races like he used to and talk that Richard should quit racing started to become more rampant. Similar to his father Lee, Richard ended up in a near fatal accident during a race and after four decades of stock car racing, 1992 would be the final year for Richard Petty as a race car driver but in a few years later, another Petty would rise to become the future of Petty Enterprisse.
We are introduced to Kyle’s son Adam Petty (#45). The fourth generation of Petty Enterprises. We learn from family members of how Adam was a very energetic and troublesome kid and the family members would talk about how mischievous Adam was as a young child. But even as a young kid, Adam believed he would be the future of Petty Enterprises and at the age 14, he made the decision that he wanted to become a race car driver and at the age of 17-years-old, Adam won his first ASA race and would continue to win more and more races in his young career. Also, significant was the father and son relationship between Kyle and Adam which Kyle wanted to make sure he was close with his son unlike how Lee was with Richard and how Richard was with him.  Adam was the future of Petty Enterprises and like his grandfather Richard, he had the passion and fire to be the next greatest racer.
But in 2000, the Petty family would go through tragedy as Lee Petty would pass away on April 2000 and five weeks after Lee’s death, Adam Petty would be killed during practice for a race in New Hampshire in which Adam’s throttle was stuck and he crashed into a wall and killing him. Kyle and Patty, continue to honor their son through the Victory Junction Gang Camp (which they partnered with Paul Newman and the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp) as a memorial for Adam.
And as 2000 was a dark year for the Petty’s, in 2009, Petty Enterprises, which began in 1948, shut its doors after not receiving any sponsorship for their cars.  The company would eventually merge with Gillett Evernham Motorsports and would be known as Richard Petty Motorsports. The family business created by Lee Petty was no more.
“Petty Blue” is a film that shows us the strength of the Petty family and their contribution to the popularity of stock car racing but to show us that this family is also human. They went through ups and downs, many challenges along the way. And although the family business is no longer around, the Petty’s continue on…
VIDEO:
“Petty Blue” is presented in widescreen(enhanced for 16×9 televisions). Because the film shows us video footage from the last 50 years, video quality varies. But for the most part, the classic footage, may it be classic home video or digital video definitely added to the enjoyment of this film.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
“Petty Blue” is presented in Dolby Digital (English 5.1 surround) and English stereo. Dialogue is clear and understandable. May it be Kevin Costner’s narration, interviews with the family or older interviews utilized in the film, there were no audio problems such as hissing or pops detected.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Petty Blue” comes with the following special features:
- Deleted Scenes – (26:46) Featuring deleted scenes: Petty Blue Paint, 1981 Dayton 500, Bobby Allison Fight, 1976 Daytona 500, Drag Racing in 1965, 1970 Darlington Crashes, Andy Granatelli and STP.
- Richard & Maurice: Memory Lane – (6:57) Richard and Maurice Petty go through old photos and talk about their childhood, the home they lived in and memories they have from the past.
- Bonus Interviews – (17:27) Featuring interviews with David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Franklin Graham and Robbie Loomis. Discussion from former racers such as David Pearson talking about how he loved racing Richard, Bobby Allison talks about his heated rivalry with Richard Petty and reconciliation after Adam Petty’s death. Frank Graham talked about Kyle Petty’s contribution to charity and more. Robbie Loomis talks about working with Richard Petty and the various crew members working together at Petty Enterprises and memories of Lee Petty.
- Audio Interviews – (15:30) Featuring ISC Audio Archive Clips and 1960’s audio interviews.
- Kevin Costner – “Backyard” Music Video – (4:38) A music video featuring Kevin Costner and his band performing “Backyard”.
- The Richard Petty Driving Experience – (:35) A commercial for the Richard Petty Driving Experience.
- Hunt Brothers Pizza – (3:40) A promo for Hunt Brothers Pizza (who are a sponsor of Richard Petty Motorsports) and the history of the business.
- Trailers – Trailers for “NASCAR: The Ride of Their Lives” and “Dale”.
“Petty Blue” is a fantastic film/documentary about the four generations of the Petty family. From Lee Petty and his son Richard Petty, Richard’s son Kyle and Kyle’s son Adam and also interviews with Lynda Petty and her daughters and those who are part of the family as they talk about the past, their ups and downs and also their darkest moments including the tragedy of Adam Petty and the closure of the family business.
Director Mike Viney and writer Shawn Truax did a wonderful job in showing a balance coverage of the Petty’s. This is a family that was brought up under tough love and racing was a priority over family for Lee and Richard, while Kyle wanted to change things and keep things close between him and his son Adam.
Many know Richard Petty as a racing icon but “Petty Blue” show us his human side. His drive as a competitor and how racing was his life, while his wife Lynda was responsible for the children. And this is where Lynda and the daughters really give us insight to the Petty family. While the guys are very in-depth with their experience in racing and with the business, Lynda and daughter Sharon Petty as well as Kyle’s wife Pattie gives the more human side of the Petty’s. How things were at home, who was the disciplinarian but also how one coped with tragedy and how one reacted.
We learn of how cold the nature of the sport can be and how greed and sometimes personal ego can rear its ugly head at times. But most importantly, how dangerous the sport really is. Lee and Richard were very fortunate to escape and live after getting involved in near tragic accidents and unfortunately, Adam Petty did not. It was one thing to hear stories and see footage of Lee and Richard’s accidents but it was heartbreaking to see Kyle and Patty talk about their son’s death and also to hear Lynda describe how Richard reacted after hearing about Adam’s death.
“Petty Blue” does not sugarcoat or put the Petty family on a pedestal. They know the contributions that Lee and Richard gave to stock car racing but they also know quite well, the success and failures that come with the business. That even the Petty family are vulnerable and if anything, they are also human.
Some may want to know if there Richard Petty talks about where the “Petty Blue” name came from, if classic Petty races are included in the film or even Richard’s rivalry with Bobby Allison (including Maurice Petty and Dale Inman fighting with Bobby Allison at Islip Speedway), Richard’s rivalry with David Pearson or Richard Petty’s 1970 Darlington accident is discussed and the answer is yes. Unfortunately, these were cut out of the actual final-cut of the film but are included as deleted scenes on the DVD.
Speaking of the DVD, fans of the Petty’s will definitely enjoy the film but to also know that this DVD is full of special features. The fact that we get more classic footage via the deleted scenes but also vintage audio interviews and also a featurette with Kyle and Maurice Petty talking about the past was pretty cool to see. Definitely adds to the enjoyment of “Petty Blue” and makes the DVD a well-rounded release.
Overall, “Petty Blue” is wonderful tribute to the legacy of the Petty’s but also touching on subjects that many people are not aware of and a behind-the-scenes look at the trials and tribulations that the family had to face. Despite the success the family have had, they also had their share of heartbreak as well. The Petty family were integral to NASCAR and the earlier years of stock car racing and it really helps that the family gave their complete cooperation into the making of “Petty Blue”.
This is one hell of an magnificent, engrossing and heartfelt documentary and Petty, NASCAR, racing fans and even racing historians will not be disappointed by “Petty Blue. You definitely will want to pick this DVD up!
Highly recommended!
