Richard Petty facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Richard Petty |
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Petty at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024
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| Born | Richard Lee Petty July 2, 1937 Level Cross, Randolph County, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| Achievements | 1964, 1967, Grand National Series Champion 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979 Winston Cup Series Champion Tied with Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson for most NASCAR Cup Series Championships (7) 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1981 Daytona 500 Winner 1967 Southern 500 Winner 1975, 1977 World 600 Winner 1983 Winston 500 Winner All-Time Wins Leader in NASCAR Cup Series (200) All-Time Poles Leader in NASCAR Cup Series (123) Holds record for most NASCAR Cup Series wins in a season (27 in 1967) Holds record for most consecutive NASCAR Cup Series wins (10 in 1967) Most all time wins at Daytona International Speedway (10) |
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| Awards | 1959 Grand National Series Rookie of the Year NASCAR's Most Popular Driver (1962, 1964, 1968, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1989) International Motorsports Hall of Fame (1997) NASCAR Hall of Fame (2010) Diecast Hall of Fame (2011) Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998) Presidential Medal of Freedom (1992)  Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023) |
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| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 1,184 races run over 35 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 1st (1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979) | ||||||
| First race | 1958 Jim Mideon 500 (Toronto) | ||||||
| Last race | 1992 Hooters 500 (Atlanta) | ||||||
| First win | 1960 untitled race (Southern States) | ||||||
| Last win | 1984 Firecracker 400 (Daytona) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Convertible Division career | |||||||
| 15 races run over 2 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 4th (1959) | ||||||
| First race | 1958 Race No. 14 (Columbia) | ||||||
| Last race | 1959 Race No. 14 (Greenville-Pickens) | ||||||
| First win | 1959 Race No. 13 (Columbia) | ||||||
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Richard Lee Petty (born July 2, 1937) is a famous American former stock car racing driver. He is often called "the King" because of his amazing career. He raced from 1958 to 1992 in NASCAR, mostly driving the No. 43 car for Petty Enterprises.
Richard Petty comes from a well-known racing family. He was the first driver to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship seven times. This record is now shared with Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson. He also won a record 200 races during his career. This includes winning the Daytona 500 a record seven times! In 1967, he won an incredible 27 races in just one season. Many people think Richard Petty is one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history.
He was part of the first group inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010. He holds many NASCAR records, including most wins (200) and most pole positions (123). He also has the most wins in a single season (27) and the most consecutive wins (10). Petty is still involved in motorsports as a team ambassador and owns Petty's Garage. This is a shop that restores and modifies cars in his hometown of Level Cross, North Carolina.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Richard Petty was born in Level Cross, Randolph County, North Carolina. His father, Lee Petty, was also a famous NASCAR driver. Lee Petty won the first Daytona 500 in 1959 and was a three-time NASCAR champion. Richard's younger brother, Maurice Petty, was also a well-known NASCAR personality.
In 1958, Richard married Lynda Owens. They had four children together, including Kyle Petty, who also became a NASCAR driver. The Petty family still lives in Level Cross, North Carolina.
Sadly, Richard's grandson, Adam Petty (Kyle's son), died in a practice crash in 2000. After Adam's death, the Petty family started "Victory Junction." This is a special camp for seriously ill children. It gives them a fun summer camp experience with medical support.
Racing Career Highlights
Richard Petty started his NASCAR career on July 18, 1958. This was just 16 days after his 21st birthday. His first race was in Toronto, Canada. In 1959, he was named NASCAR Rookie of the Year. He finished in the top 10 nine times that year.
Becoming a Champion (1960s)
In 1960, Richard Petty got his first career win at the Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway. He finished second in the NASCAR Grand National Points Race. The year 1963 was a big year for him, with wins at tracks like Martinsville.
In 1964, Petty drove a powerful Plymouth car. He led most of the laps to win his first Daytona 500. He won 9 races that year and earned his first Grand National championship.
In 1965, Petty raced in drag racing for a while. This was because of a rule change that affected his car's engine in NASCAR. He returned to NASCAR in 1966 when the rules changed back.
On February 27, 1966, Petty won his second Daytona 500. He was the first driver to win the event twice. The year 1967 was truly special. Petty won 27 of the 48 races he entered! This included a record 10 wins in a row. He won his second Grand National Championship. His amazing performance that year earned him the nickname "King Richard."
In 1969, Petty switched to Ford cars for a short time. He won 10 races that year. In 1970, he returned to Plymouth, driving the sleek new Plymouth Superbird. This car is famous for its unique shark nose and large rear wing.
Dominating the 1970s
On February 14, 1971, Petty won his third Daytona 500. He won 20 more races that year and claimed his third Grand National Championship. He also became the first driver to earn over $1 million in career earnings.
In 1972, STP became Petty's main sponsor. This led to his famous orange and "Petty blue" car design. Thanks to his many top finishes and 8 victories, Petty won his fourth NASCAR Cup Series championship.
In 1973, Petty won his fourth Daytona 500. A year later, he won the Daytona "450" (a shorter race due to an energy crisis) for the fifth time. This helped him win his fifth Winston Cup Championship.
The year 1975 was another big one for Petty. He won the World 600 for the first time. He had 13 victories that season, which is a modern NASCAR record. In 1976, Petty was part of one of NASCAR's most famous finishes. He and David Pearson crashed on the last lap of the Daytona 500. Pearson managed to restart his car and win, while Petty's car stalled.
In 1978, Petty did not win any races. His team had trouble with their new Dodge Magnum car. He decided to switch to Chevrolet cars. This proved to be a good move.
In 1979, Petty won the Daytona 500 in an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. This race is known as the "Famous Finish" because of a fight between other drivers after the race. Petty won as the leading cars crashed on the last lap. This win was part of his seventh and final NASCAR Winston Cup Championship.
The Final Years (1980s-1992)
Petty won two more Daytona 500s in 1979 and 1981. In the 1981 Daytona 500, he used a smart "fuel only" pit stop to win his seventh and final Daytona 500.
In 1982, Petty switched to the Pontiac Grand Prix car. He had no wins that year, but things improved in 1983. He won three races, including the 1983 Carolina 500.
On July 4, 1984, Petty won his 200th and final race at the Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway. This race was very exciting. President Ronald Reagan was there, making him the first sitting president to attend a NASCAR race. Reagan celebrated with Petty in victory lane.
On October 1, 1991, Petty announced he would retire after the 1992 season. He decided to race the entire 1992 season. His year-long "Fan Appreciation Tour" took him around the country. He met fans and participated in special events.
Petty's final race was the 1992 Hooters 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This race was also the start of Jeff Gordon's NASCAR career. It was a very exciting race with many drivers competing for the championship. On lap 94, Petty was in an accident and his car caught fire. He got out safely. His pit crew worked hard to get the car running again. With two laps left, Petty drove out of the pits. He was credited with finishing the race in 35th place. After the race, Petty drove around the track one last time to thank his fans.
Life After Racing
After retiring from racing, Richard Petty became a team owner. He helped develop the career of crew chief Robbie Loomis. Loomis led Petty Enterprises to three wins in the 1990s.
In 2008, Petty Enterprises was bought by Gillett-Evernham Motorsports. The team was renamed Richard Petty Motorsports. Petty continued to be involved with the team.
In 1995, Petty also worked as a television commentator for CBS. He has been a spokesperson for several companies, including Cheerios. His picture was even on Brawny paper towels!
Petty and his son Kyle started "Victory Junction." This is a summer camp for seriously ill children. It provides them with a fun, outdoor experience with medical staff on hand.
Richard Petty is often seen wearing his trademark sunglasses and a cowboy hat. The hat has a large snakeskin band and rooster feathers.
Famous Moments and Close Calls
Petty is known for his many wins, but also for some serious crashes he survived:
- In 1970, at Darlington, Petty's car crashed hard into a wall and flipped over. He was injured, but this accident led to NASCAR requiring safety nets on driver's side windows. These nets were developed by Petty's team.
- In 1980, at Pocono, Petty crashed and broke his neck. But he still raced the next Sunday! Today, NASCAR rules would require a doctor to clear a driver after such a crash.
- In the 1988 Daytona 500, Petty's car went airborne and tumbled many times. It hit the catch fence and parts flew everywhere. Petty walked away without serious injuries. This crash was similar to others where cars became airborne.
Awards and Recognition
Richard Petty has received many important awards:
- He was inducted into the first class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.
- In 1997, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
- He was named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998.
- He was the only stock car driver in the first group inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1989.
- In 1992, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George Bush. This was the first time a motorsports athlete received this award.
Richard Petty in Movies and TV
Richard Petty has appeared in several movies and TV shows:
- He voiced Strip Weathers in the Disney/Pixar animated movies Cars (2006) and Cars 3 (2017). His character, "The King," is based on himself and drives a car like his famous No. 43 Plymouth. Petty's wife, Lynda, voiced The King's wife in the first Cars movie. In Cars 3, Petty's son Kyle voiced his character's nephew.
- Petty appeared as himself in the movies Swing Vote (2008), Days of Thunder (1990), Stroker Ace (1983), and Speed Zone (1989).
- He was also in the opening credits of the Elvis Presley movie Speedway (1968).
- Petty was featured in the documentary Petty Blue by NASCAR.
Images for kids
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Petty's IROC Porsche 911 from the 1970s.
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Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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Petty with President George W. Bush in 2006.
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Flag stand from Petty's first win.
See also
In Spanish: Richard Petty para niños
