THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 23, 1996 TAG: 9610230466
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROANOKE ISLAND LENGTH: 105 lines
In his trademark black wraparound sunglasses and 10-gallon hat, Richard Petty looks every bit the stock car legend who captured the checkered flag in 200 races.
But as a candidate for North Carolina's secretary of state, Petty hopes to convince voters he's more than just a NASCAR champion.
``I'm not a one-dimensional person,'' says Petty, who has served for 16 years on the Randolph County Board of Commissioners. ``I've run seven different businesses as part of Petty Enterprises. And as a commissioner in Randolph County, I helped keep our taxes among the lowest in North Carolina. I know what it takes to run a business efficiently. That's what we need in the secretary of state's office.''
Petty shook hands and signed autographs for about 100 people during a stop at the Weeping Radish Restaurant in Manteo on Tuesday. The visit was part of a swing through the northeast corner of the state, which included visits to Elizabeth City and Currituck County. Petty has visited 64 of the state's 100 counties.
The office Petty seeks has been hit by scandal in recent years. Democrat Rufus Edmisten resigned in the wake of charges of misconduct.
``The first thing we have to do is to get that office running on an efficient basis,'' Petty says. ``That's simply running the office in the way that it is supposed to be run. It's not going to be an overnight deal, but it's something that needs to be done.''
Petty wants to become the first Republican to hold the office in North Carolina this century. He says a conservative voice on the Council of State will ``stir things up'' in Raleigh.
``We've had one party in control for so long on the Council of State that there's no one to keep check on what the agencies are doing,'' Petty says. ``They're used to doing things the way they've always done them, without anybody keeping a check on them. I'm saying there has to be a system of checks and balances.''
Petty wants to modernize the office and take a more active role in developing tourism and the economy.
``One of the strengths I have is in public relations,'' Petty says. ``This is something I've done all my life. We don't need someone to sit behind a desk all the time, we need someone to get out among the people.''
Petty has been mentioned as a future candidate for governor or the U.S. Senate. However, he insists he will not use the secretary of state's office as a jumping-off point for higher office.
``I don't look at it as a steppingstone kind of thing,'' Petty says. ``I run seven businesses, and I'm not ready to chuck all of that for higher office. I believe I can juggle my businesses and be an effective secretary of state.''
Petty is armed with perhaps the highest name recognition of any candidate in the 1996 elections. However, he acknowledges that being known as ``The King'' of stock car racing can have its disadvantages.
``A lot of people say, `He's just a race-car driver,' '' Petty says. ``But the message that I'm trying to get out to people is that I'm not just a one-dimensional person. I've got the experience to do a good job for the people of this state.''
Bill Cobey, co-chairman of Petty's campaign,says the high name recognition is a blessing and a curse.
``He's a racing icon,'' Cobey says. ``A lot of people only know him as a race-car driver and nothing else. There are a lot of people who aren't race fans, and they don't think they're ready to elect a race driver to office. But he's been in government for 16 years. He's run a multimillion-dollar business. When people look at qualifications, he's got lots of qualification to serve in this job.''
The 59-year-old Petty led early on against Democrat Elaine Marshall, but he now trails in most polls because of an auto accident and an aggressive campaign by the Democrat.
Petty's campaign has lagged since he admitted Sept. 19 that he broke traffic laws by following a vehicle too closely on Interstate 85. He bumped the car, causing $25 in damage.
But Petty claims he pays no mind to the predictions.
``I don't look at them,'' Petty says. ``We're set up to run our campaign the way we think it should be run. It's going to be up to the people of North Carolina to compare resumes and determine who's best for the job.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
SAY CHEESE!
DREW C. WILSON
The Virginian-Pilot
Sissy Krouse of Manteo gets a good angle on Richard Petty during his
visit to the town Tuesday. Petty, who is running for secretary of
state, has fallen behind in the polls due to a controversial auto
accident and an aggressive campaign by his opponent.
RICHARD PETTY
Age: 59.
Home: Randleman
Occupation: President, Petty Enterprises, his racing team, and other
business ventures. Retired in 1992 as a champion NASCAR driver.
Winner of 200 races in his career. Recently inducted into the
International Motor Sports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Ala.
Education: Graduate of Randleman High School; Attended King
Business College in Greensboro.
Government experience: Served on the Randolph County Board of
Commissioners from 1978 to 1994.
Civic involvement: Member, Pfeiffer University Board of Trustees.
Has worked for numerous charities.
Family: He and his wife Lynda have four children and nine
grandchildren. Lynda Petty serves as chairwoman of the Randolph
County Board of Commissioners.
KEYWORDS: PROFILE CANDIDATE SECRETARY OF STATE NORTH CAROLINA by CNB