Adam Petty facts for kids

Adam Kyler Petty (born July 10, 1980 – died May 12, 2000) was an American professional stock car racing driver. He was part of the famous Petty racing family. Adam was the fourth generation of his family to race in NASCAR's top series. This was mostly in what was then called the NASCAR Busch Series. Many believed he was the first fourth-generation athlete in all of modern American professional sports.

Who Was Adam Petty?

Adam Petty grew up in High Point, North Carolina. His family was like "royalty" in stock car racing. He was the son of Kyle Petty, a well-known racer. People expected Adam to become the next big star. He was following in the footsteps of his father, his grandfather Richard, and his great-grandfather Lee.

Adam's Racing Journey

Adam Petty started his racing career in 1998. He was just 18 years old at the time. His first races were in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. Just like his father, Kyle, Adam won his very first ARCA race. He drove the No. 45 Pontiac at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

In 1999, Petty moved to the NASCAR Busch Series full-time. He drove the No. 45 Chevrolet. Adam finished sixth in his first Busch Series race at Daytona. He also had a great fourth-place finish at Fontana. Even with these good results, he sometimes struggled to qualify for races. He ended the 1999 season in 20th place overall in points.

For the year 2000, his family's team, Petty Enterprises, had big plans for Adam. They wanted him to race a second full season in the Busch Series. They also planned for him to start seven races in the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. This was to get him ready for a full season in the Winston Cup in 2001.

Adam had a tough start in the Busch season that year. But he did manage to qualify for his first Winston Cup race. This was the DirecTV 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 2. He started in 33rd place and stayed in the middle of the race pack. Sadly, his engine broke down, and he finished 40th. Adam never got to race alongside his father, Kyle. Kyle didn't qualify for that race. Adam's great-grandfather, Lee Petty, who was a three-time NASCAR Champion, saw Adam's Winston Cup debut. Lee passed away just three days later.

Safety Changes After Adam's Passing

On May 12, 2000, Adam Petty was practicing for the Busch 200 race. This race was at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. During the practice, his car's throttle got stuck open. This meant the car kept accelerating. Adam's car hit the outside wall very hard in the third turn. He was only 19 years old.

Adam's death, and another driver's death eight weeks later, led to important safety changes in NASCAR. The other driver was Kenny Irwin Jr., who died in the same corner of the same track. These events made NASCAR require a "kill switch" on the steering wheel. This switch lets drivers turn off the engine quickly. NASCAR also started using a special plate to slow down cars at that track.

These changes helped address the causes of the accidents. However, the drivers had suffered serious head injuries. Other drivers also died from similar injuries later that year and in 2001. These included Tony Roper, and the famous seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt.

Because of these tragedies, NASCAR made the HANS or Hutchens device mandatory in October 2001. These devices help protect a driver's head and neck during a crash. In 2002, NASCAR also added SAFER barriers, which are soft walls. Drivers had asked for these soft walls before.

Adam's father, Kyle Petty, was driving the No. 44 car when Adam passed away. Kyle decided to take over Adam's No. 45 car in the Busch Series for the rest of 2000. He then used the No. 45 car in the Cup Series for many years. Kyle later shared that he struggled with sadness after losing his son. Driving the No. 45 car helped him honor Adam's memory.

Adam's Lasting Impact

President George W. Bush visits Adam's Race Shop at Victory Junction Gang Camp. He is joined by Kyle and Richard Petty, Michael Waltrip, and Jimmie Johnson.

In October 2000, Adam's family started something special. They teamed up with actor Paul Newman and his "Hole in the Wall Gang Camp." Together, they created the Victory Junction Gang Camp. This camp is in Randleman, North Carolina, and it is a memorial to Adam.

The camp helps children with serious illnesses. Many NASCAR drivers, teams, and sponsors have supported it. The camp officially opened in 2004. It is now an official charity of NASCAR. A replica of Adam's 1998 race car is even at the camp.

Adam Petty also appeared in some video games. These include NASCAR 2000, NASCAR Rumble, NASCAR 2001, and NASCAR Arcade. The games NASCAR 2001 and NASCAR Heat include special tributes to both Adam and Kenny Irwin Jr.

In December 2013, Adam's brother, Austin, named his newborn son Adam. This was a loving tribute to his brother.

Images for kids

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  President George W. Bush visits Adam's Race Shop at Victory Junction Gang Camp. He is joined by Kyle and Richard Petty, Michael Waltrip, and Jimmie Johnson.