Petree Is Living Large During A Third Career Andy Petree got his shot by calling the shots as crew chief for teams like those of Harry Gant's. He now calls things the way he sees them for ESPN. (Photos courtesy of ESPN) Andy Petree grew up in North Carolina, the cradle of NASCAR. When he talks about "the sport," he means stock car racing. One of those who always found a way to get into the grandstands to watch the Winston Cup races during his youth, Petree now calls the Sprint Cup races like he sees them for ESPN on Sundays. "I've always loved the sport before I got involved," he said. "I just loved it so much. I would find a way to races and watch them. Now I've got the best seat in the house and I get in free. And, they pay me a little bit." Some guys, it seems, have all the luck. Before his current gig, Petree was making the calls as the crew chief during Dale Earnhardt's sixth and seventh championship seasons. Before that, he was the mechanical mastermind behind "Mr. September" during Harry Gant's incomparable winning streak. Along the way, Petree's own team won two races in NASCAR's premier league. On second glance, it's not all been rosy. Petree lost a close friend and fellow Chevy team owner when Earnhardt was killed at Daytona in 2001. That same year Bobby Hamilton, who later died of cancer, and Joe Nemechek won races in Andy