Petty Enterprises Vice President of Racing Operations Robbie Loomis said the team is making progress on its goal to move from its long-time home but likely won't leave it's Randleman, N.C., base until 2009. "We're definitely making a lot of progress," Loomis said. "We've looked at more land and sites and things. The scope and the size of the project has kind of changed a little bit. We were originally looking for 50-75 acres, and now we're looking for a lot more land than that." Loomis said the team would eventually like to expand to four cars, and there needs to be enough land to add shop space to accommodate the increased number of teams. The two-car team is now housed in a sprawling campus in Randleman, about 90 miles from Charlotte, N.C., the home of most NASCAR teams. "We're still trying to identify exactly where the best place to be for the land for all the employees that we have now and for the ones [who would join later]," Loomis said. That appears to be Salisbury, N.C., about halfway between Randleman and Charlotte. "Our main targeted area has been Salisbury," Loomis said. "We feel that's a good location to grow. But right now, there's a lot of things involved in making that next step and making the commitment to get the land." Loomis did say the team would "for sure" be in a new facility for the 2009 season but didn't speculate on exactly when a move would be made.(SceneDaily.com)(7-6-2007)
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2008 Daytona500 Champ
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Petty Enterprises moving operations from Level Cross
By Seth Livingstone
USA TODAY
Admitting mixed emotions, NASCAR legend Richard Petty announced Wednesday that Petty Enterprises will move its racing operations from its longtime site in Level Cross, N.C., to a leased facility in Mooresville, N.C., beginning next month.
"We hate to leave Level Cross, but for us to get more competitive, we feel like we need to move," said Petty, 70, whose father, Lee, began operations there in 1949.
The sprawling facility, which has produced 268 Cup victories and 10 Cup championships (three by Lee, seven by Richard), also houses the family compound.
Executive director of race operations Robbie Loomis suggested the likelihood of a move 10 months ago, citing the need for Petty Enterprises to move closer to NASCAR's epicenter to better compete for technology and talent.
"It's not the buildings and stuff as much as the personnel we hope to be able to attract," Richard Petty said.
Petty Enterprises, which fields Nextel Cup cars for drivers Kyle Petty and Bobby Labonte, last won a race in 1999 with John Andretti at the wheel. Kyle Petty, 47, owns eight career Cup victories but none as a driver for Petty Enterprises.
Richard Petty blamed himself for not making the move sooner.
"It just took Richard Petty, hardheaded, like 20 years to say, 'OK, we've outlived that particular segment of Petty Enterprises,' " he said. "It always made us feel proud to be able to go look at these great big, high-buck buildings that other teams have got, then go over and look at our place that started in '49 and say, 'Look, there has been more wins come out of that particular building right there than eight or 10 of these other buildings.' That's just a pride deal, but pride doesn't work too good at the bank."
Petty Enterprises will move into the 85,000-square-foot building formerly occupied by Robert Yates Racing, which is moving closer to Ford racing partner Roush Fenway Racing. The site offers a 30,000-square-foot fabrication area.
Petty called the move "temporary — a good landing place" to give the operation a chance to test the waters in Mooresville and acquire property for a permanent facility. He also said the Level Cross facility would remain active in some capacity, perhaps producing show cars for the team.
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The King To Be Featured On First Nascar Raceday Of 2008
“The King” Richard Petty will be featured on an episode of NASCAR RaceDay that will air the day of the Daytona 500, Feb. 17th, on SPEED. RaceDay airs from 11 am – 2 pm on the 17th. In a segment called ‘The Real Deal’, hosted by Wendy Venturini, ‘The King’ reflects on the 50th running of the Daytona 500 and discusses the relocation of Petty Enterprises from Level Cross to Mooresville.
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Petty Enterprises moving operations from Level Cross
The King To Be Featured On First Nascar Raceday Of 2008
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