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It was Andy Granatelli, who headed up STP in the ‘60’s,– who pioneered STP'’s path in motorsport sponsorship in the USA, establishing the STP high performance heritage through sponsorship of World Land Speed Record bids, right through to USA Indy Car racing and F1.

With over 50 years continuous motorsport sponsorship, STP'’s commitment is longer than any other company, and the brand association with motorsport legend, Richard Petty, and Richard Petty Racing, is the longest continuous team sponsorship in the sport.

1959 saw STP'’s debut in motorsport, with Athol Graham establishing Speed Records on Bonneville Salt Flats. And during the ‘60’s, STP backed significant World Land Speed Record bids by Art Arfons, who repeatedly claimed the record with his iconic jet-powered machines, the ‘Green Monster’.

In 1964, STP backed Paula Murphy as she took the World Land Speed Record for women, achieving 243.44mph in Walt Arfons’ 10,000hp jet dragster, ‘The Avenger’.

It was at this time that STP entered mainstream US motorsport, backing Bobby Allison in the Indy 500, and three years later in 1967, STP again contested the race with the revolutionary 4WD STP Lotus, driven by Parnelli Jones.

STP entered the iconic NASCAR Winston Cup in 1971, and in 1972 began its association with ‘The King’ of NASCAR, Richard Petty, who won first time out.

Petty would go on to win a record seven NASCAR Winston Cup Championship titles with STP backing, as well as US motorsports other top event, the Daytona 500, and following his racing retirement in 1992, the company continued its sponsorship with the Petty family through the Richard Petty Racing team.

Drivers of cars sponsored over the years by STP include some of the most famous names in motorsport including Mario Andretti, Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Juan Pablo Montoya, Richard Petty, Jochen Rindt, Al Unser, Alex Zanardi.