THE KING Hunts Pheasants in ND

[LMITOUT]

REGENT - Richard Petty rode off in a junker, more rust than metal, happy as could be.

This would be THE Richard Petty, the "King" of NASCAR, a living legend in his own time. He's won 200 races, more than anyone ever has and likely ever will, driving some of the finest and fastest calibrated engines ever made.

But for the day, the old dusty Suburban cruising the back roads of Hettinger County fit and smelled just right.

Petty, 69, of Randleman, N.C., arrived on private jet in Dickinson before dawn Sunday. By early morning, he was out in the golden fields, hunting brilliantly colored pheasants with Cannonball Co. of Regent.

Cannonball manager Pat Candrian had known for three months that Petty - a genuine celebrity in racing circles and, as it turns out, a genuine gentleman - would be a guest for opening weekend.

Candrian was sworn to secrecy, and only told the hunting guides on Friday. He told owners of the Cannonball Saloon so they'd be ready and eventually, well, word somehow got out.

Petty and his hunting party left the field in late afternoon shadow and headed into town for a beer. He walked into the bar, where town and hunting guests from all over the country had been patiently waiting for "the King" to arrive.

When he did, recognizable in his black mustache and shades, he was swamped with requests for autographs. He gamely stood to the job, finally getting a chance for a cold one himself.

Deb Kudrna, of Dickinson, drove down just to see Petty and get his autograph. She's been a fan of NASCAR thrills and chills for years and his is the first driver's autograph she's ever gotten.

"Why not start at the top?" she said.

Kudrna was thrilled to see the sport come alive right there in Regent, in the person of Richard Petty.

Candrian said Petty isn't the first celebrity to find the Cannonball Co., the largest pheasant hunting lodge and guide operation in North Dakota. The company started in 1991 and will host a record 2,000-plus hunts this year.

"I welcomed him to Regent, N.D., and he filled out his paperwork just like anyone else," Candrian said. "He's here for a good time and to hunt, and he had that kind of day today out in the field."

Petty's time in the field was mellow. On the last drive of the day, several of the party pushed the birds a good mile up the tree rows, while he and two others blocked the end of the field.

The pushers were bright orange spots off in the distance and Petty had time to wait and relax, gamely taking a reclining "seat" in the grass in the roadside ditch to talk.

"You sure got a bunch of land out here," he said. He planned to dine on pheasant Sunday night for the first time and spend a couple more days "goofing" around.

"I'm not much of a hunter," he said. "I've been busy doing a bunch of other stuff and hunting's not one."

His favorite topic is the how of how he got here.

The Petty family has created the Victory Junction Gang, a facility for critically ill children that attends to their medical needs with a hospital that looks like a pit stop on a race track, and at the same time allows them to experience physical challenges like horseback riding and swimming, some for the first time in their lives.

Petty came to Regent as the guest of Brad Johnson, formerly of Bismarck. Johnson is president of Central Garden and Pet Co., of California, a company that has a helping corporate relationship to Petty's children's facility.

Petty agreed to do some marketing spots for some of the company's garden products and Johnson said he makes an annual habit of bringing business friends clients from all over the country to North Dakota.

This year, Petty was among his guests.

"People are always amazed by the wide-open spaces, and sometimes they're amazed by the early winter," Johnson said.

Johnson said his company is proud to be part of the Petty project for kids.

Just like Regent, for just a few days, was proud to host Petty.

"He got a bird," said his guide Monte Strand on Sunday evening. "He's a good shot."

-Bismarck Tribune

[TNFL]

Wow he can drive a car and hunt. He probably drinks beer too. Man he is cool. Its almost like he is a human being??????????