It once was one of the most successful teams in NASCAR. Now, Petty Enterprises is just aiming to get a little better after falling on hard times.

Its No. 1 goal?

"Improvement," team president Kyle Petty said simply. "That's what we're looking for. I'd say it has been a good year."

Not since Kyle's dad, Richard Petty, was 'King' has Petty Enterprises been formidable. There have been some bright spots: A couple victories here, a few poles there. And some really exciting finishes.

But there hasn't been much consistency. And there haven't been any champions.

Both of which the younger Petty seems poised to change.

"The past was fun, the future looks bright," Petty said. "A lot of great things are on the horizon for Petty Enterprises."

Though the effort has been there, the personnel wasn't always. That changed before this season, when the team hired Robin Pemberton -- Rusty Wallace's former crew chief -- as team manager. He's brought in new energy and created a lot of excitement, and has Petty confident that the team can soon run at the front of the pack.

Right now, the three-car stable is average, finishing in the mid-20's often. In the 43 Dodge, Richard Petty's old car, John Andretti had an average finish of 25.3 this season. Although that's about three spots from 2001, he also finished 28th this year -- three positions better than last. The 44 Dodge has been driven by several drivers this year after Buckshot Jones was fired early, but it rarely finished better than the 20's. And Petty, driver of the 45 Dodge, averaged a 22.1 finish -- almost 10 spots better than last year.

With Andretti orally committed to come back to the 43 car, and the sponsor set to return, and Petty set to take on a new sponsor for his 45 car, he believes the two can continue to improve and average a finish at least in the high teens. He hopes the 44 team will come together soon and follow suit.

In three years, Petty believes the team can consistently finish in the top 10.

"That is what it is all about, running up front and winning races," he said. "That's the direction we're continually moving. There are cycles in all sports -- look at dynasties like the New York Yankees and Boston Celtics -- and we have made a lot of changes and a lot of strides to get back to the right spot in that cycle."

Petty, at one time, wondered if it would be possible to succeed on the Cup circuit with a three-car team. But, after seeing how much the team was able to improve in one season, Petty is convinced he's got the right plan in place.

"You look around the garage, and a lot of people are having trouble making these multi-car teams work," Petty said. "Some people say three-car teams won't work, but maybe two-car teams will. Others say a two-car team doesn't give you enough information or tests, so you have to have three cars. Then you have Jack Roush, who has either four or five or six teams, depending on how you count them.

"We think we have hit on the way to make a three-car team work, and work well. And it's starting to show on the race track, especially this year. We're not where we want to be yet but we sure seem to be headed in the right direction."

That plan hinges upon having everyone on the team work as a team. Not just to help the 43 or the 45 car succeed.

"The thing is everybody has to be pulling in the same direction," he said. "The guys who work on the (45) have to be just as happy -- and I mean sincerely happy -- when the (43) guys do well or the (44) guys do well, and vice-versa. Having everybody work together and having everybody pull from the same drawer as far as cars and engines are concerned helps with that.

"There is a big picture. A lot of little pictures make it up but there is a big picture. Obviously, ours is to have three Petty Enterprises cars running at the front at the end of every race. That is when all of the little pictures will start coming to the forefront"

Rupen Fofaria is a beat writer for The Raleigh News & Observer and a regular contributor to ESPN.com.