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The No. 42 has made its return to the Petty family under the banner of Petty GMS Motorsports. Ty Dillon will take over the iconic number for the 2022 season while embracing the honor of representing some legendary drivers from NASCAR history.
Dillon appeared on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Wednesday, December 8, to discuss the massive deal between Richard Petty Motorsports and GMS Racing, as well as his switch from No. 94 to a new number. He explained that it’s an exciting time in the sport with a championship-winning owner in Maury Gallagher joining the winningest name in NASCAR history in Richard Petty. Dillon also explained how much it means to him to be able to run the iconic number that Lee Petty used to win three championships.
“There for a little bit, I thought I was going to be No. 94,” Dillon said during his December 8 appearance. “And then as I found out I was going to be No. 42, I mean, what an honor to represent the legendary, the late great Lee Petty. Along with [what] Kyle Petty has done in the [No.] 42 with the Petty name. What a cool number to have to represent with our new team at Petty GMS.”
Kyle Petty Also Expressed Excitement About No. 42’s Return
When Petty GMS Motorsports revealed that the No. 42 was back under the Petty banner, the news made waves on social media and throughout the industry. A multitude of people responded, including Kyle Petty.
The NBC Sports analyst posted a video from the big reveal event and expressed excitement about the industry-altering news. “Here’s what I’m excited about,” Petty said in the short clip. “Look at that No. 42. It’s back!”
Petty has his own history with the No. 42. He ran the number from 1979-1982 and 1989-1996. Petty posted 21 top-10 finishes and three top-fives during his first stint with the number. He then added another 69 top-10s, 26 top-fives, and six wins during his second stint in the No. 42.
Petty will now watch as Dillon takes over the No. 42 and strives to bring it back to Victory Lane. The 29-year-old has achieved some success in the NASCAR Cup Series while driving Germain Racing, a small team that sold its charter to 23XI Racing after the 2020 season. Dillon posted six top-10 finishes and two top-fives during his four full-time seasons in the No. 13.
Dillon Will Embrace His First Season With a Teammate
With Petty GMS Motorsports bringing two charters together, Dillon will now have a teammate for the first time in his career. He will work with Erik Jones, who spent the 2021 season as the only driver at Richard Petty Motorsports.
Dillon explained that there will be an adjustment for him as he and Jones work together. He and Jones will have to learn each other during offseason testing sessions and during the months leading up to the season. Ultimately, he has high hopes for their ability to gel and begin contending for wins together.
“I think it’s very easy to be selfish about that and not really want a teammate,” Dillon told media members during a December 8 availability. “Kind of have it all on you, but I really do appreciate the fact that I’ll have somebody to bounce everything off of week in and week out.
“My hope is that I’ll be a great teammate for Erik, and I know that rising tides raise all ships. So hopefully, together we can build this program to be a really strong front-running name. The Petty name has been there before, but we want to bring the Maury Gallagher up there with it too.”
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