Lately there’s been a lot of comparisons between Richard Petty, holder of a record 200 Nascar Cup wins, and Kyle Busch, due to pass that number in all three of Nascar’s national touring series. Here now is a look at the ways The King and Rowdy are alike—and how they’re also quite different.
Compare: Both drivers come from racing families.
Contrast: Maurice Petty never testified that an ex-lover was plotting to kill him.
Compare: Petty (STP) & Busch (M&M’s) both have long-term sponsorship relationships.
Contrast: STP never demanded to be taken off the car after Richard Petty wrecked Ron Hornaday Jr under caution.
Compare: Both Richard and Kyle have hundreds of unique trophies.
Contrast: Hey, remember that time Richard Petty smashed one of his Martinsville grandfather clocks in victory lane? Yeah, me neither.
Compare: Both drivers have had to beat some of the biggest stars in Cup Series history.
Contrast: Richard Petty never had to beat such Truck Series luminaries as Norm Benning, Jennifer Jo Cobb, or Timmy Hill.
Compare: Both of them have become icons of their longtime manufacturers—Petty for Mopar, Busch for Toyota.
Contrast: Dodge never put out anything as ugly as the current Supra (ok, ok, maybe the Aspen).
Compare: Both have operated race teams—Petty Enterprises and Kyle Busch Motorsports.
Contrast: Petty Enterprises was more or less a completely independent team. KBM, meanwhile, functions as a developmental organization for one of the top teams in the sport—Hendrick Motorsports.