Veteran NASCAR driver Kyle Petty has criticized the younger Cup Series drivers, saying they have “no skin in the game.” He believes that many of these drivers grew up playing video games, which makes them less aware of the real-life consequences of their actions on the track. While appearing on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast, Petty, who raced in 829 Cup Series events before retiring in 2008, emphasized that young drivers should learn to respect their cars and fellow competitors from an early age. His remarks reflect those made by Kyle Busch, who recalled an incident when young driver Carson Hocevar, at just 13 or 14 years old, crashed into him. Busch noted that Hocevar never apologized, even at the start of his racing career.
Petty Criticizes the Video Game Generation in Racing
Petty expressed his strong feelings, stating, “We now have drivers who grew up playing video games. They learn to crash things and just walk away without facing any real consequences. They don’t have to show up on Monday morning at six o’clock to fix what they broke.” He added, “They have no real investment in the game. You know what I mean? When the race ends, if I bump into you, I can just text you or tweet you, or even have my wife call you. ‘Kevin, I’m really sorry I bumped you and won the race. My bad.'”
He questioned, “Do you think Cale Yarborough ever called my dad and said, ‘Hey, sorry I beat you, buddy’? No way! That’s how it was back then. If you got someone a lap down, you kept them there. The aim was to put everyone a lap down. It was a fierce competition; it was survival of the fittest, plain and simple.”
Petty recalled the familiar phrases like “rubbing is racing” and “have at it, boys,” saying, “I’d even wreck my mom if I had to.” He noted that hearing this enough at ages 12 or 13 makes kids believe it by the time they start driving. He pointed out that no one tells these kids about respect. “Respect your equipment, respect the other driver, and respect their skills. If you race them with respect, they’ll race you the same way.
