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Richard Lee Petty

Richard Petty with George W. Bush
Born: July 2, 1937 (1937-07-02) (age 70)
Birthplace: Level Cross, North Carolina
Achievements: —
Awards: —
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Statistics
1,184 races run over 35 years. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Randleman is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of Stock cars in the United States.
Best Cup Position: 1st - 1964, 1967, 1971 (Grand National), 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979 (Winston Cup)
First Race: 1958 Jim Mideon 500 (Canadian Exposition Stadium)
Last Race: 1992 Hooters 500 (Atlanta)
First Win: 1960 untitled race (Southern States Fairgrounds)
Last Win: 1984 Firecracker 400 (Daytona)
Wins Top Tens Poles
200 712 123

Richard Lee Petty (born July 2, 1937) is a former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. The 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday January 20 and ended on Sunday November 24. The 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season began on February 9 and ended on November 15. The Pep Boys Auto 500 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is an Intermediate track in Hampton Georgia, twenty miles (32 km south of The 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday February 19 and ended on Sunday November 18. The Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona is a 160 lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on the first Saturday night of July Daytona International Speedway is a Superspeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The term " pole position " comes from the Horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole Events 310 - Pope Miltiades is elected 626 - In fear of assassination Li Shimin ambushes and kills his rival Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of Stock cars in the United States. "The King", as he is nicknamed, is most well-known for winning the Sprint Cup seven times (Dale Earnhardt is the only other driver to accomplish this feat),[1] winning a record 200 races during his career,[1] winning the Daytona 500 a record seven times,[1] and winning a record 27 races[1] (ten of them consecutively) in the 1967 season alone. The Sprint Cup is a trophy that is awarded to the winner of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr ( April 29, 1951 &ndash February 18, 2001) was an American race car driver best known for his career driving (A 1972 rule change eliminated races under 250 miles (400 km) in length, reducing the schedule to 30 [now 36] races. ) Petty is widely considered the greatest NASCAR driver of all time. He also collected a record number of poles (127) and over 700 top-ten finishes in his 1,185 starts, including 513 consecutive starts from 1971-1989.

Petty is a second generation driver. His father, Lee Petty, won the first Daytona 500 in 1959 and was also a 3 time NASCAR champion. Lee Arnold Petty ( March 14, 1914 near Randleman North Carolina – April 5, 2000) was an American Stock car driver in The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. Richard's son, Kyle Petty, is also a well-known NASCAR driver. Kyle Richard Petty (born June 2, 1960 in Randleman North Carolina) is an American NASCAR driver the son and grandson of racers Richard Richard's grandson, Adam Petty, was killed in an accident at New Hampshire International Speedway on May 12, 2000, five weeks after the death of Lee. Adam Kyler Petty ( July 10, 1980 &ndash May 12, 2000) was an auto racing car driver New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s as Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Meanwhile, Adam's brother Austin works on day-to-day operations of the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a Hole in the Wall Gang camp established by the Pettys after Adam's death. The Victory Junction Gang Camp is a camp for terminally ill and chronically ill children located in Randleman North Carolina, USA. Hole in the Wall Gang Camp is a residential summer camp and year-round center for seriously ill children located in Ashford, Connecticut. Petty married his wife Lynda in 1958 and they have four children - Kyle Petty, Sharon Petty Farlow, Lisa Petty Luck and Rebecca Petty Moffit - and 12 grandchildren. Kyle Richard Petty (born June 2, 1960 in Randleman North Carolina) is an American NASCAR driver the son and grandson of racers Richard The family still resides in Level Cross; They operate Petty Enterprises. Randleman is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. Petty Enterprises is a NASCAR racing team based in Randleman North Carolina. The Richard Petty Museum is in nearby Randleman, North Carolina. Randleman is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. Since January 7, 2008, Petty Enterprises has been the newest resident of Race City, U.S.A., moving their race team into the vacated Yates Racing 115,000-square-foot (10,700 m²) facility in Mooresville, N. Mooresville is a town in Iredell County, North Carolina, USA. Yates Racing is a Motorsports racing team that currently races in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series C. King Richard Petty frequently signs autographs for people and he remains a popular figure in the garage area.

Contents

Racing career

Petty was born in Level Cross, North Carolina, the son of Elizabeth (née Toomes) and Lee Arnold Petty, also a NASCAR driver. Randleman is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States [2] He began his NASCAR career on July 18, 1958, 16 days after his 21st birthday. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. His first race was at the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds in Toronto, Canada, and he finished 17th[3] having completed 55 of 100 laps in an Oldsmobile. Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page In 1959, Richard was named NASCAR Rookie of the Year, after he produced 9 top 10 finishes, including six Top 5 finishes.

The 1960s

Petty's famous Plymouth Superbird, on display at the Richard Petty Museum
Petty's famous Plymouth Superbird, on display at the Richard Petty Museum

In 1960, he finished 2nd in the NASCAR Grand National Points Race. The short-lived Plymouth Road Runner Superbird, a sister design to the Dodge Charger Daytona, was designed to beat the Ford Torino Talladega at NASCAR In 1964, driving a potent Plymouth with a new Hemi engine, Richard Petty led 184 of the 200 laps to capture his first Daytona 500, en route to 9 victories, earning over $114,000 and his first Grand National championship. Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. A Hemi engine (from hemisphere) is an Internal-combustion engine in which the Combustion chambers are of hemispherical form The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. On February 27, 1966 Petty overcame a 2-lap deficit to win his second Daytona 500 when the race was stopped on lap 198 of 200 because of a thunderstorm. Events 1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. This made him the first driver to win the event twice.

In 1964 Richard became unhappy with the sport because other drivers were saying that his engines were bigger and they protested. Richard spent 1965 competing as a drag racer. His career there was cut short when he crashed his car at a race in Georgia, Injuring 7 people and killing an eight year old boy at the Southeastern Dragway, in Dallas, Georgia. 1967 was a milestone year. In that year, Petty won 27 of the 48 races he entered, including a record 10 wins in a row (between August 12 and October 1, 1967). Events 1099 - First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon - Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. He won his second Grand National Championship. One of the 27 victories was the Southern 500 at Darlington, which would be his only Southern 500 victory. The Southern 500 is the annual spring NASCAR Sprint Cup race held at Darlington Raceway in Darlington South Carolina, USA Darlington Raceway is a Race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington South Carolina. His dominance in this season earned him the nickname "King Richard". He had previously been known as "the Randleman Rocket". In 1969 Petty switched brands to Ford, due to his belief the Plymouth was not competitive on super-speedways - he wanted a slippery Dodge Daytona but Chrysler executives insisted he stay with Plymouth. Dodge, an American Automobile Brand, has produced three separate vehicles with the name Dodge Charger Daytona, all of which were modified He would win 10 races and finish second in points. Won back in 1970 by the sleek new Plymouth Superbird with shark nose and goalpost wing, Petty returned to Plymouth for the 1970 season. The short-lived Plymouth Road Runner Superbird, a sister design to the Dodge Charger Daytona, was designed to beat the Ford Torino Talladega at NASCAR This is probably his most famous car, and the car in which Petty is cast in the 2006 Pixar film Cars. Pixar Animation Studios is a CGI animation production company based in Emeryville California. Cars is a 2006 animated Feature film produced by Pixar and directed by both John Lasseter and Joe Ranft.

The 1970s

Petty's IROC car from the 1970s
Petty's IROC car from the 1970s
Petty's car used for his 1979 Daytona 500 win, on display at Daytona USA
Petty's car used for his 1979 Daytona 500 win, on display at Daytona USA
1983 racecar
1983 racecar

On February 14, 1971, Petty won his third Daytona 500, beating team mate, Buddy Baker, by one lap en route to another historic year, making him the first driver to win the event three times. The Daytona 500 Experience, formerly known as Daytona USA, is an interactive motorsports attraction ("The Official Attraction of NASCAR" located at Daytona Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. For the American composer see Buddy Baker (composer. For the DC Comics character see Animal Man. He won 20 more races, became the first driver to earn more than $1 million in career earnings, and claimed his third Grand National Championship. In 1972, now with the familiar STP sponsor livery, Petty won his 4th Winston Cup Championship, thanks to his 28 top-10 finishes, including 25 top-5 finishes and 8 victories. STP is a brand name and trade name for the automotive additives and performance division of the Clorox Corporation On February 18, 1973, in a driver’s duel, Petty outlasted Baker to win his fourth Daytona 500 after Baker's engine gave out with six laps left. Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. One year later, Petty won the Daytona "450" (shortened 20 laps {50mi/80km} due to the energy crisis) for the fifth time en route to his fifth Winston Cup Championship. An energy crisis is any great bottleneck (or price Rise) in the supply of energy resources to an economy. Throughout Petty's career, but especially during his prime, Petty was known to stand for hours - backed against a fence, signing autographs to everyone who asked. Despite his massive popularity, Petty never begrudged the fans.

The year 1975 was another historic year for Petty, as he won the World 600 for the first time in his career, one of 13 victories en route to his sixth Winston Cup. The Coca-Cola 600 (formerly the World 600) and also known as the "Coke 600" is a in length Stock car race held annually at Lowe's Motor Speedway The 13 victories is a modern (1972 to present) NASCAR record for victories in a season, and was tied in 1998 by Jeff Gordon. Jeffery Michael Gordon In 1976, Petty was involved in one of the most famous finishes in NASCAR history. Petty and David Pearson were racing on the last lap out of turn 4 in the Daytona 500. David Gene Pearson (born December 22, 1934 in Spartanburg, South Carolina) is a former American NASCAR Racecar As Petty tried to pass Pearson, at the exit of turn 4, Petty's right rear bumper hit Pearson left front bumper. Pearson and Petty both spun and hit the front stretch wall. Petty's car came to rest just yards from the finish line, but his engine stalled. Pearson's car had hit the front stretch wall and clipped another car, but his engine was running. Pearson was able to drive his car toward the finish line, while Petty's car would not restart. Pearson passed Petty on the infield grass and won the Daytona 500. Petty was given credit for second place. Oddly 1978 will stand out as the one year during his prime that Petty did not visit the winners circle. Petty could not get the new for 1978 Dodge Magnum to handle properly, even though much time, effort, and faith were spent massaging the cars. The Dodge Magnum name has been used on a number of different Automobiles The most recent is a large Rear-wheel drive Station wagon introduced in 2004 Unhappy with the seven top-5 finishes (including two second places) Petty climbed out of the Dodge and into a four year old used Chevy Monte Carlo after 17 races, breaking the hearts of his faithful, though partisanly Mopar fans. The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American-made automobile Originally introduced by Chevrolet for the 1970 model year (as competition with the Ford Thunderbird The switch to Chevy didn't produce any wins either however, in the remaining 1978 races. Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM Petty would go on to rebound though, and went on a tear in 1979, winning the NASCAR championship for the seventh, and last time.

The twilight years

1989 car at Phoenix
1989 car at Phoenix

Petty won two more Daytona 500s in 1979 and 1981. In 1979, he snapped a 45-race drought, winning his sixth Daytona 500, the first to be televised live flag-to-flag; it would become notorious for a fistfight between competitors following the controversial finish. Petty won the race as the first and second place cars of Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough crashed on the last lap. Dunkiny "Donnie" Allison (born September 7, 1939 in Miami Florida) is a former driver on the NASCAR Grand National/ Winston William Caleb (Cale Yarborough (born March 27, 1940 in Timmonsville South Carolina, near the famous Darlington Raceway) is a businessman and Petty held off Darrell Waltrip and A.J. Foyt. Darrell Lee Waltrip (born February 5, 1947 in Owensboro Kentucky) is a three-time former NASCAR Winston Cup champion the 1989 Daytona Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr (born January 16, 1935, in Houston, Texas) is a retired American Automobile racing driver The race is also regarded as being the genesis of the current surge in NASCAR's popularity. The East Coast was snowed in by a blizzard, giving CBS a captive audience. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. The win was part of Richard's seventh and last NASCAR Winston Cup Championship. Petty was able to hold off Waltrip to win the title in 1979.

For 1981, NASCAR dictated that all teams had to show up with the new downsized cars of 110" wheel-base, that Detroit had been building since 1979. Though Petty had been successful with the Chevy's and Old's he had been running, he wanted to get back to his Mopar roots. His team built a stunning 1981 Dodge Mirada and took it to Daytona in January 1981 for high speed tests. The Dodge Mirada was released in 1980 as the replacement for the Dodge Magnum until its end in 1983 The car could do no better than 186 miles per hour, however, about eight miles per hour slower that the GM cars. Petty gave up on returning to Dodge knowing that for the superspeedways the Mirada would not be competitive, and bought a Buick Regal for the Daytona race. The Buick Regal is a Mid-size car produced by General Motors ' Buick division from 1973 through 2004 during which Buick also used the Century In the 1981 Daytona 500, Petty used a "fuel only" for his last pit stop, with 25 laps to go, to outfox Bobby Allison and grab his seventh and final Daytona 500 win. Robert Arthur Allison (born December 3, 1937 in Hialeah Florida) is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's This win marked a large change in Petty's racing team. Dale Inman, Petty's longtime crew chief, left the team after the Daytona victory (Inman would win an eighth championship as crew chief in 1984 with Terry Labonte). Terrance Lee Labonte (born November 16, 1956, in Corpus Christi Texas) is a NASCAR driver who now races part-time in the Sprint Cup Series

On July 4, 1984, Petty won his 200th race at the Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Events 836 - Pactum Sicardi, peace between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) The Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona is a 160 lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on the first Saturday night of July Daytona International Speedway is a Superspeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The race was memorable. On lap 198, Doug Heveron crashed, bringing out the yellow caution flag, essentially turning Lap 198 into the last lap as the two drivers battled to the start-finish line. Doug Heveron (born March 29, 1961) is an American race car driver from Liverpool, New York. Petty and Cale Yarborough diced it out on that lap, with Yarborough drafting and taking an early lead before Petty managed to cross the start/finish line only a fender-length ahead. William Caleb (Cale Yarborough (born March 27, 1940 in Timmonsville South Carolina, near the famous Darlington Raceway) is a businessman and (This is no longer possible because of the 2003 rule change freezing the field immediately upon caution. Furthermore, the green-white-checkered rule was created for if the yellow flag waves with two laps remaining, but not with one lap remaining. ) President Ronald Reagan was in attendance, the first sitting president to attend a NASCAR race. Reagan celebrated the milestone with Petty and his family in victory lane.

Petty's last ride

In late 1991, Richard Petty announced he would retire after the 1992 season. The 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Season began on February 9 and ended on November 15. Petty's final top ten finish came at the 1991 Budweiser at the Glen which was the same race JD McDuffie was killed in a fifth lap accident. The Centurion Boats at The Glen is a 90-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen New York John Delphus McDuffie ( December 5, 1938 - August 11, 1991) was a NASCAR Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup Series driver Petty chose to run the entire 1992 season, not just selected events as other drivers have done before retirement. His year-long Fan Appreciation Tour took him around the country, participating in special events, awards ceremonies, and fan-related meetings. In his final year behind the wheel, he had two notable races.

At the 1992 Pepsi 400 on July 4, Petty qualified second. The Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona is a 160 lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held on the first Saturday night of July Events 836 - Pactum Sicardi, peace between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples Before the start of the race, he was honored with a gift ceremony which included a visit from President George H. W. Bush. George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12 1924 served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 At the start, Petty led the first five laps, but dropped out on lap 84 due to fatigue.

Despite the tremendously busy appearance schedule, and mediocre race results, Petty managed to qualify for all 29 races in 1992. On his final visit to each track, Petty would lead the field on the pace lap to salute the fans. Petty's final race was the season-ending Hooter's 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The 1992 Hooters 500 was the final race of the 1992 NASCAR season Atlanta Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta International Raceway) is an Intermediate track in Hampton Georgia, twenty miles (32 km south of The race was notable in that it was the first career start for Jeff Gordon, and it was the closest points championship in NASCAR history, with six drivers mathematically eligible to win the championship. Jeffery Michael Gordon A record 160,000 spectators attended the race, which went down to the final lap with Bill Elliott winning the race, and Alan Kulwicki winning the championship by 10 points over Elliott after Davey Allison dropped out early after a crash. William Clyde Elliott (born October 8, 1955 in Dawsonville Georgia) is a part-time driver and former champion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Alan Dennis Kulwicki (December 14 1954 &ndash April 1 1993 nicknamed "Special K" and the "Polish Prince" was an American NASCAR Winston Cup David Carl "Davey" Allison ( February 25, 1961 - July 13, 1993) was a NASCAR Race car Driver, best

Facing the intense pressure, Petty barely managed to qualify at Atlanta, posting the 39th fastest speed out of 41 cars. He would not have been eligible for the provisional starting position, and had to qualify on speed. On the 94th lap, Petty became tangled up in an accident, and his car caught fire. Petty pulled the car off the track, and climbed out of the burning machine uninjured. His pit crew worked diligently all afternoon to get the car running again, and with two laps to go, Petty pulled out of the pits and was credited as running at the finish in his final race. He took his final checkered flag finishing in 35th position. After the race, Petty circled the track to salute the fans one final time in his trademark STP Pontiac.

The following year, he was back into a race car one more time. On August 18, 1993, NASCAR participated in a tire test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in preparations for the 1994 Brickyard 400. Events 293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway Indiana (an Enclave of Indianapolis) in the United States, is the home of the The 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Season began on Sunday February 20 and ended on Sunday November 13. The Allstate 400 at The Brickyard, introduced as the Brickyard 400 in 1994, is an annual 400-mile (644 km NASCAR Sprint Cup points race Petty drove several laps around the track, and then donated his car to the Speedway's museum.

Petty would again step into a race car in 2003 on the week of the final race under the Winston banner at Homestead-Miami Speedway and took a solo lap honoring his seven Winston Cup Championships for Winston's salute to the champions. Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead Florida southwest of Miami.

In 2007 at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona, Richard Petty was behind the wheel of a Daytona car during the pace laps, leading the field for the first lap. The field split him and he followed behind the field for one more pace lap before he pulled it in. This was in tribute to Bill France Jr.

Petty as an owner

In later years of his career, Petty developed the career of crew chief Robbie Loomis, who was at the helm of Petty Enterprises as crew chief in the 1990s, and won three races -- the 1996 Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix, the 1997 ACDelco 400 at North Carolina Speedway, both with Bobby Hamilton driving, and the 1999 Virginia 500 at Martinsville Speedway, with John Andretti driving. William Clifton France ( April 4 1933 - June 4 2007) nicknamed "Bill Jr Robbie Loomis is a former NASCAR crew chief who worked for Petty Enterprises and Hendrick Motorsports during his time as a crew chief working most notably Petty Enterprises is a NASCAR racing team based in Randleman North Carolina. The Checker Auto Parts 500 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Arizona Phoenix International Raceway, or just PIR, is a one mile Tri-oval race track located in Avondale Arizona. The Subway 400 was the second race of the NASCAR Nextel Cup season until 2004 held a week after the Daytona 500. This article is about the Rockingham North Carolina Track for the track located in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom see Rockingham Motor Charles Robert Hamilton Sr ( May 29, 1957 – January 7, 2007) was a driver and owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series The Goody's Cool Orange 500 is a 500-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville Virginia. Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation -owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Ridgeway Virginia. John Andretti (born March 12, 1963 in Bethlehem Pennsylvania) is an American race car driver

Petty moved to the television broadcast booth for a few seasons immediatedly following his retirement, but his career in television did not last long. He remained as operating owner until his son Kyle Petty took over day-to-day operations a decade later. Kyle Richard Petty (born June 2, 1960 in Randleman North Carolina) is an American NASCAR driver the son and grandson of racers Richard

Close calls

Of all the races he won, Petty is also remembered for three of the many incredible crashes that he survived:

Career awards

Life after racing

Richard Petty is currently a spokesman for Cheerios and for GlaxoSmithKline products Nicorette and Goody's Headache Powder. A spokesman ( spokeswoman or spokesperson) is someone engaged to speak on behalf of others Cheerios is a Brand of Breakfast cereal created on June 19, 1941 and marketed by the General Mills cereal company of GlaxoSmithKline plc () is a United Kingdom -based pharmaceutical, biological and Healthcare Company. Nicorette is a branded over-the-counter Palliative treatment which is used to ameliorate the Withdrawal effects involved in quitting smoking. He has also recorded public service announcements for Civitan International, a nonprofit organization in which he was formerly a member. A public service announcement (PSA or community service announcement (CSA is a non-commercial advertisement broadcast on radio or television ostensibly for the Public Civitan International is an association of community Service clubs founded in 1917 [4] He is almost always seen wearing his trademark sunglasses and a Charlie One Horse hat. In 1996, he was the Republican nominee for North Carolina Secretary of State, but was defeated by State Senator Elaine Marshall in the general election. The North Carolina Secretary of State is an elected official in the U A state senator is a member of a state's Senate, the Upper house in the Bicameral legislature of 49 U Elaine F Marshall (born 18 November 1945) is the current North Carolina Secretary of State; she is the first woman to be elected to that office and the A major factor in that defeat was his being charged with hit-and-run and reckless driving when he bumped a car from behind that he was trying to pass on I-85. However, it was later found out that the "bump" could not have happened because the mark was lower than where his bumper would have been. He was cast as "The King" in Pixar's 2006 animated film Cars (film) as a 1970 Plymouth Superbird with the number "43". Cars is a 2006 animated Feature film produced by Pixar and directed by both John Lasseter and Joe Ranft. The short-lived Plymouth Road Runner Superbird, a sister design to the Dodge Charger Daytona, was designed to beat the Ford Torino Talladega at NASCAR A cereal "43's" was created with Petty information on the boxes.

Legacy

Accessibility was his hallmark. In a sport, and a sports world, where big stars may not have the time to sign autographs or sign everybody's autograph, Petty made a point of staying until everybody got one. His work on behalf of his sport and his accessibility to fans are seen as crucial elements of NASCAR's transformation from the dirt tracks of the 1950s to the superspeedways and multi-million dollar sponsorships of today.

Races won

Grand National/Winston Cup (200 career wins)

Teams

Movie appearances

Preceded by
Joe Weatherly		 NASCAR Grand National Champion
1964		 Succeeded by
Ned Jarrett
Preceded by
David Pearson		 NASCAR Grand National Champion
1967		 Succeeded by
David Pearson
Preceded by
Bobby Isaac		 NASCAR Grand National Champion
1971 - 1972		 Succeeded by
Benny Parsons
Preceded by
Benny Parsons		 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion
1974, 1975		 Succeeded by
Cale Yarborough
Preceded by
Cale Yarborough		 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion
1979		 Succeeded by
Dale Earnhardt
Preceded by
Tiny Lund		 Daytona 500 Winner
1964		 Succeeded by
Fred Lorenzen
Preceded by
Fred Lorenzen		 Daytona 500 Winner
1966		 Succeeded by
Mario Andretti
Preceded by
Pete Hamilton		 Daytona 500 Winner
1971		 Succeeded by
A.J. Foyt
Preceded by
A.J. Foyt		 Daytona 500 Winner
1973, 1974		 Succeeded by
Benny Parsons
Preceded by
Bobby Allison		 Daytona 500 Winner
1979		 Succeeded by
Buddy Baker
Preceded by
Buddy Baker		 Daytona 500 Winner
1981		 Succeeded by
Bobby Allison
Preceded by
Shorty Rollins		 NASCAR Rookie of the Year
1959		 Succeeded by
David Pearson

Richard Petty appeared as himself in the 1972 video, a Victory Lane Production, released by Video Gems, distributed by United American Video in 1986, "43 - The Petty Story". Joe Weatherly ( May 29, 1922 - January 19, 1964) was a two-time NASCAR championship driver Ned Jarrett (born October 12, 1932 in Newton North Carolina) is a retired race car driver and two-time NASCAR champion David Gene Pearson (born December 22, 1934 in Spartanburg, South Carolina) is a former American NASCAR Racecar David Gene Pearson (born December 22, 1934 in Spartanburg, South Carolina) is a former American NASCAR Racecar Bobby Isaac ( August 1, 1932 – August 14, 1977) is a former NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) Series champion Benjamin Stewart Parsons ( July 12 1941 – January 16 2007) was an American NASCAR driver and later an announcer/analyst Benjamin Stewart Parsons ( July 12 1941 – January 16 2007) was an American NASCAR driver and later an announcer/analyst William Caleb (Cale Yarborough (born March 27, 1940 in Timmonsville South Carolina, near the famous Darlington Raceway) is a businessman and William Caleb (Cale Yarborough (born March 27, 1940 in Timmonsville South Carolina, near the famous Darlington Raceway) is a businessman and Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr ( April 29, 1951 &ndash February 18, 2001) was an American race car driver best known for his career driving DeWayne Louis "Tiny" Lund ( November 14, 1929 in Harlan Iowa &ndash August 17, 1975 at Talladega Superspeedway The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. Fred Lorenzen (born December 30, 1934 in Elmhurst Illinois) is a former NASCAR driver Fred Lorenzen (born December 30, 1934 in Elmhurst Illinois) is a former NASCAR driver The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is an Italian American former racecar driver and one of the most successful Americans in the Pete Hamilton (born July 20, 1942 in Newton, Massachusetts) is a retired American NASCAR racer The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr (born January 16, 1935, in Houston, Texas) is a retired American Automobile racing driver Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr (born January 16, 1935, in Houston, Texas) is a retired American Automobile racing driver The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. Benjamin Stewart Parsons ( July 12 1941 – January 16 2007) was an American NASCAR driver and later an announcer/analyst Robert Arthur Allison (born December 3, 1937 in Hialeah Florida) is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. For the American composer see Buddy Baker (composer. For the DC Comics character see Animal Man. For the American composer see Buddy Baker (composer. For the DC Comics character see Animal Man. The Daytona 500 is a 200-lap long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach Florida. Robert Arthur Allison (born December 3, 1937 in Hialeah Florida) is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's Lloyd George "Shorty" Rollins ( April 3, 1929 - December 28, 1998) nicknamed "Shorty" born in Granbury Texas The NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season David Gene Pearson (born December 22, 1934 in Spartanburg, South Carolina) is a former American NASCAR Racecar

This fast-paced story traces the early childhood experiences that made Richard Petty one of the world's record-breaking drivers. Darren McGavin plays Lee Petty, Richard's father and three time world racing champion.

Two generations of break-neck speed, death defying driving and devastating crashes flash before your eyes and set adrenaline pumping.

Richard's family and loved ones recall the most exciting moments of his life at home and on the track while he battles with death in a hospital room.

Some songs were written for the movie were sung by Marty Robbins.

This video also portrays the importance of the NASCAR organization as it applies to the drivers.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Hinton, Ed (2001). Daytona: From the Birth of Speed to the Death of the Man in Black. New York, New York: Warner Books, page 118. ISBN 0-446-52677-0.  
  2. ^ Ancestry of Richard Petty
  3. ^ NASCAR Grand National at The Crittenden Automotive Library
  4. ^ Public Service Announcement for Civitan International featuring Richard Petty

External links

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