Kyle Petty announced that he will return to the Rolex Sports Car Series at the Phoenix 250 on April 10th. Gunnar Racing will field a Porsche GT3 RS for he and co-driver Gunnar Jeannette.

This will be his 8th career Rolex Sportscar Series start. He competed with Gunnar Racing on numerous occasions last year and has driven with Orbit Racing in the past where he won the GT class at the Bully Hill Vineyards teaming with John Andretti.

"I just love road racing!" stated Petty. "It is an opportunity to turn right, shift, and brake more." Petty first competed in a road race at Riverside years ago in NASCAR competition and he has been in love ever since. Although his family has a deep rooted history in NASCAR racing, he has been interested in road racing and more specifically sportscars for years. His interest in sportscars started during the GTP era when he would see the cars at Daytona during off season winter testing.

When asked how much effort he puts into his road racing skills he responded, "I work hard at it! I have even gone to the Bondurant and Skip Barber driving schools to get better."

Gunnar Racing plans to team up with Kyle again during the 2004 season perhaps behind the wheel of the Porsche powered Fabcar he drove earlier in the year at the Rolex 24. "I believe this is the future of road racing in this country." stated Petty. I think many of us would agree.

photo courtesy Grand American

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