NASCAR/Petty Movie UPDATE: Dennis Quaid is revved up by a film project delving into the story of NASCAR legend Richard Petty and his complicated relationship with his father Lee, who was an up-and-coming driver until he was injured in a crash. “Any Given Sunday” producer Dan Halsted has put together the funds to develop a “Great Santini”-like story of a son trying to measure up to his father. The younger Petty went on to become NASCAR’s winningest driver, but had to go a long way to prove himself to Lee, who’ll be played by Quaid. The pic will be exec produced by John O’Hurley, John Myrick and Robin Sharp, and they’re out to writers right now.(Yahoo Entertainment – thanks Matt)(11-13-2001) UPDATE: The star of “The Rookie” is slated to be father of “The King” of NASCAR in an upcoming movie. Dennis Quaid has pledged to play Lee Petty in an untitled movie chronicling the racing careers of Lee and Richard Petty in the late 1950s and ’60s. Richard Petty is NASCAR’s all-time winningest driver with 200 victories. The movie will focus on the father-son relationship, as Richard struggles to meet the high expectations Lee had for him. “It’s not as much about the grinding of the wheels as it is the relationship of the two best racers in NASCAR,” John O’Hurley, executive producer of the upcoming film, said Wednesday in Greensboro. The actor to play Richard Petty hasn’t been finalized. The movie has gotten a thumbs-up from Richard Petty and Petty Enterprises, said Bill Scott, executive vice president of Petty Enterprises in Level Cross south of Greensboro. Lee Petty died in April 2000. Scott said he and other Petty officials will talk about the script when they are on the West Coast for the NAPA Auto Parts California 500 race this weekend. “We’re working with people we trust,” said Scott. “O’Hurley, Quaid – they’re obviously some people who have influence to get things done in Hollywood.” O’Hurley, who played clothier J. Peterman on the television show “Seinfeld,” says producer Dan Halsted (“Any Given Sunday”) will produce the Petty movie.(ThatsRacin.com)(4-26-2002)
