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Richard Petty Brutally Exposes NASCAR’s Biggest Problem: Too Many Winners Are Killing the Sport

Originally posted on Total Apex Sports | By Fahad Hamid | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 10:05 AM ET

Look, when “The King” himself starts throwing shade at modern NASCAR, you know things have gotten pretty messy. Richard Petty, the guy who won 200 Cup Series races (yeah, you read that right), just delivered a reality check that’s got the racing world buzzing harder than a restrictor plate engine at Talladega.
And honestly? He’s not wrong

The Petty Problem: NASCAR’s Leadership Crisis

Here’s the thing that’s got Petty all fired up: NASCAR has turned into one giant participation trophy fest. This season alone has seen 15 different winners, and according to The King, that’s precisely what’s sucking the life out of the sport.

“Right now, there’s too big of a crowd. We’ve got no leaders,” Petty told Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, and man, did he come with receipts. “We’ve had, what, 15 different winners this year? That does not create a following.”

The seven-time champion isn’t just complaining for the sake of it – he’s pointing out something that should be painfully obvious to anyone who’s been watching NASCAR‘s slow decline from cultural phenomenon to… well, whatever this current mess is supposed to be.

Why Multiple Winners Actually Hurt NASCAR’s Appeal

Remember when you could hate Dale Earnhardt or love him, but you definitely had an opinion? When Darrell Waltrip earned the nickname “Jaws” and fans would show up just to watch him either dominate or get his comeuppance? Those were the days when NASCAR had genuine superstars who could move the needle.

“When Darrell was winning a bunch of races, they’d call him ‘Jaws’ and people would come to see him either win or get beat,” Petty explained. “Same with Earnhardt: You wanted to see him win a race, or you wanted to see somebody beat him. Right now, we don’t have that.”

And here’s the kicker – Petty believes this lack of dominant personalities is stripping away the sport’s prestige. When everyone’s winning, nobody’s really winning, if you catch my drift.

The New Generation Problem NASCAR Won’t Admit

But wait, there’s more. Petty also called out something that NASCAR executives probably don’t want to hear: the “new generation” just isn’t that into cars anymore. Shocking revelation, right? Who could have predicted that in an era of smartphones and TikTok, asking people to invest three to four hours watching cars go in circles might be a tough sell?

The King pointed out that there’s simply too much competition for eyeballs these days. Between streaming services, social media, and about a million other entertainment options, NASCAR is fighting an uphill battle that they seem determined to lose.

Petty Goes Full Savage on NASCAR’s Playoff Format

If you thought Petty was done dropping truth bombs, think again. The man went absolutely nuclear on NASCAR’s playoff system, and it was beautiful to watch.

“OK, I’m still from the old school,” Petty said, presumably while NASCAR executives started sweating. “I’m with Martin, that they start races in February and you run all year to November and it’s, ‘OK, who was the best that year?’ They should be champion.”

He’s talking about Mark Martin’s crusade to bring back the full-season points format, and honestly, it makes perfect sense. Why should someone who dominates all season long get screwed over by one bad race in the playoffs?

The Stage Racing Disaster Petty Can’t Stand

But Petty wasn’t finished. He took aim at stage racing with the precision of a sniper: “When they give points for leading different [stages] in the race and they give points for all this other stuff, that’s a bunch of crap, OK?”

Damn, Richard. Tell us how you really feel.

He compared it to football, and the analogy hits hard: “If you’re sitting there and watching a football game and the team has been behind the whole game and they kick a field goal and they win the game, the guys who lost got a zero.”

The logic is bulletproof. In what universe does it make sense to give participation points for leading random portions of a race? Either you won or you didn’t. This isn’t kindergarten soccer.

NASCAR’s Modernization Attempts Are Backfiring Spectacularly

Perhaps most damning of all, Petty called out NASCAR’s desperate attempts to stay relevant: “They’re trying to modernize stuff, and they’re trying to keep up with other sports. They’re trying to come up with new ideas. And so far, I haven’t seen any of them really working.”

Ouch. When a guy who literally built NASCAR’s reputation is telling you that your “innovation” is garbage, maybe it’s time to listen.

The truth is, NASCAR’s efforts to modernize have felt more like a midlife crisis than genuine improvement. They’ve introduced playoff formats, stage racing, and a bunch of other gimmicks that feel forced and artificial. Meanwhile, the actual racing – you know, the thing people supposedly tune in for – hasn’t gotten any more exciting.

The Superstar Shortage That’s Killing NASCAR’s Soul

What really stings about Petty’s critique is how right he is about the lack of superstars. Think about it: who’s the current face of NASCAR? Kyle Larson maybe? Denny Hamlin? Chase Elliott?

Compare that to the eras when Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon, and Johnson were dominating. Those guys had personalities that transcended the sport. They were household names. Kids wanted to be them, adults either loved or hated them, and everyone had an opinion.

Now? Good luck finding a casual sports fan who can name three current NASCAR drivers. The sport has become so sanitized and corporatized that the drivers feel like interchangeable parts rather than genuine personalities.

What NASCAR Could Learn From Petty’s Rant

If NASCAR actually listened to The King (and let’s be honest, they probably won’t), here’s what they might consider:

First, stop trying so hard to be like other sports. NASCAR’s appeal was always that it was different – raw, authentic, and personality-driven. The more they try to copy football’s playoff format or basketball’s entertainment model, the more they lose what made them special in the first place.

Second, maybe embrace the idea of dominant drivers again. Yes, parity sounds nice on paper, but sports entertainment thrives on storylines. Give us villains to hate and heroes to cheer for. Stop being afraid of someone winning too much.

Finally, simplify the damn points system. The current format is so convoluted that even hardcore fans need a calculator to figure out who’s actually leading the championship. If Richard Petty thinks it’s “a bunch of crap,” maybe it’s time to go back to basics.

The Bottom Line: Petty’s Reality Check

At the end of the day, Richard Petty’s criticism isn’t just the grumbling of an old-timer stuck in the past. It’s a wake-up call from someone who understands what made NASCAR great in the first place.

The sport’s current trajectory isn’t sustainable. Ratings continue to decline, younger fans aren’t tuning in, and the cultural relevance that NASCAR once enjoyed is rapidly disappearing. When the most successful driver in the sport’s history is telling you that your “modernization” efforts are failing, maybe it’s time to listen.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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