IT'S GOOD TO BE "THE KING," JUST FOR A WHILE: PETTY ON NHL

          An "adoring" crowd of 10,563 turned out for "Richard
     Petty Night" at last night's Penguins-Hurricanes game, and
     "'The King' didn't disappoint," according to Cecil Harris of
     the Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER.  Petty, whose TV and radio
     promos for Hurricanes '99-2000 season-tickets "have proved
     quite popular," said that driving the modified Zamboni at
     the first intermission was his "most unusual driving
     experience."  Petty: "I told 'em I'd be real careful because
     if I knock down one of those walls (actually Plexiglass
     panes), it'd take a long time for 'em to fix it."  Petty was
     also presented with a "Living Legends" award during the
     second intermission, after which Petty said, "It's real
     slick out there, especially if you don't have anything on
     but these leather boots" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 3/11).