It is not widely known that the 1974 founding board of Conrail contained several stock car racing fans, including NASCAR Granddaddy himself, Bill France. It hardly seems coincidental that the government-and-employee-owned railroad would choose Petty blue as their livery for locomotives. While Indiana Senators Hartke and Bayh objected to the slight of Indy Racing’s USAC formally on the floor of the US Senate. Several Southern Senators pushed back that, unlike Indy cars, all rail locos had closed cabs and fenders over their wheels.
Conrail is also credited by many with pioneering the concept of the heritage unit when they placed an Operation Lifesaver sponsorship on this 1979 GP15 and gave the unit the classic Petty number 43 and paint.
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