History Springs Back to Level Cross

The King, Richard Petty, is unarguably the most successful individual in NASCAR history. His record in totality is unmatched: 200 wins, seven titles, 127 poles, over 500 top five finishes in nearly 1,200 starts, and a first-year inductee to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

That success, however, included some tough accidents and injuries as well including:

• 1961 Daytona: Sailing over the wall during his 100-mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500.
• 1970 Darlington: Pounding the turn four wall and then nailing the pit wall during the 1970 Rebel 400.
• 1978 Daytona: Walloping the earthen berm in the 1978 IROC race followed by a savage lick a few days later in the Daytona 500.
• 1988 Daytona: Flipping against the catchfence during the Daytona 500.
• 1991 Sonoma: A head-on hit with the concrete wall and tire barrier during the Banquet Frozen Foods 300. 

Another accident that really took the wind out of the King's cape occurred during Pocono's Coca-Cola 500 on July 27, 1980. 

As Petty sailed into turn two, his right front wheel broke sending  him on a direct trajectory to the wall. After the first lick, the STP Monte Carlo ricocheted into the air for a moment before landing hard. Chuck Bown spun to avoid him, but Darrell Waltrip had nowhere to go and centerpunched the driver's side door.

The King exited the car in obvious pain.Interestingly, rescue crews didn't bother putting a neck brace on him or lay him on a backboard. He simply limped to the ambulance with his head tossed back and agony on his face.

Petty returned one week later to start the Talladega 500. Little clinical information was released beyond his having a sore neck. The truth, however, was King had fractured his neck in the crash. Though it was common in that era - and perhaps for another 25 years or so - for drivers to race hurt, King's willingness and ability to belt into the car with a broken neck was remarkable.

Back to Pocono though. The hit destroyed the right front of the car - and Petty's opportunity to notch his eighth Cup championship. 

Long-time Petty fan and licensed paramedic, Brian Hauck, attended the race that day. He occasionally assisted the medical response team for Pocono's Indy Car races; however, he chose not to do so for Cup races so he could watch as a fan.

Hauck, therefore, had no choice but to watch the track's medical crew work on his favorite driver from a distance and ask around about his condition later.

When he returned to work Monday, he was still uncertain about King's condition - and bent about the casual way the medical staff handled his neck. Meanwhile, a co-worker began holding court with stories about his weekend trip to the Pocono race. Hauck's ears perked up when he heard the co-worker mention having a piece from Petty's car.

As medical crews attended to Petty and safety crews cleaned the track, Hauck's co-worker foolishly (?) sprinted from his infield position onto the track and retreated hastily with the 43's right front coil spring. 

Hauck apparently all but demanded the guy turn over the spring - but got a hell no in return. Some time later, the guy left the company. Hauck fumed he didn't get the spring, and he lost contact with the guy to boot.

In 2018, a mutual friend reconnected the former co-workers. Hauck knew the first question he had to ask - Do you still have that spring? Sure enough, the guy still had it. With the passage of time, he was also willing to part with it for the right reason and to the right person. After nearly 40 years, the coil spring changed hands.

Once Hauck got the spring last October, I received a series of texts and photos from him about it along with a single request: Don't mention this to anyone for now. 

On January 24, 2019 - Hauck's birthday - he celebrated a bit differently. Instead of receiving a gift, he gave one. After driving from his home in Trenton, New Jersey to North Carolina, he presented the spring to an unsuspecting Petty and Dale Inman. 

Both immediately recognized what Hauck had and couldn't believe he was willing to return it to Level Cross. Inman in particular was flabbergasted the spring still existed. He mentioned the team looked for it in the turn area after the race but never found it. He noted that particular spring had been a good one for set-ups in 1979-80 and joked "I was more concerned about finding that spring than I was Richard's neck."

Initially, King thought Hauck may want his umpteenth autograph to tie to the spring. Once he realized the spring was again his, he held onto it during the remainder of their conversation.

As Hauck wrapped up his visit, King placed the spring atop the Monte Carlo on display in the Petty Museum until a more permanent exhibit spot can be arranged for it.

TMC