| Richard Lee Petty was born on July 2, 1937 in Level | | | | thirteen wins that season, the most season wins in |
| Cross, North Carolina. His father, Lee Petty, was one | | | | the modern era of NASCAR (1972 - Present.) This |
| of the pioneers of NASCAR racing, and the founder | | | | record still stands, tied only by Jeff Gordon in the |
| of Petty Enterprises, which became NASCAR's most | | | | 1998 season. |
| successful racing team. Lee Petty was an early star | | | | Richard Petty had one last record in him yet, winning |
| of NASCAR, winning three Grand National | | | | his seventh, and what would prove to be his final, |
| Championships (later known as the Winston Cup) as | | | | Winston Cup Championship in the 1979 season. This |
| well as seven Most Popular Driver Awards. | | | | record also remains unbroken, tied only by Dale |
| Richard's racing career began on July 12, 1958, in | | | | Earnhardt in 1994. Petty also earned his sixth |
| Columbia, South Carolina. He finished in sixth place in | | | | Daytona 500 win in 1979, winning the first race in the |
| his debut race, and went on to take nine top-ten | | | | history of NASCAR racing to be televised from start |
| finishes in the 1959 season, earning the Rookie of the | | | | to finish. |
| Year award. But, his career really took off in 1964 | | | | As the 1980's began, Richard Petty's career began to |
| when he won his first Daytona 500. This was the | | | | decline. He achieved his seventh and final Daytona |
| beginning of his nine wins that year which lead to | | | | 500 win, due in part to a collision between the cars in |
| another first: the Grand National Championship title. | | | | first and second place, and the rules of the time |
| Petty set the first of what would be many career | | | | concerning NASCAR crashes. On July 4, 1984, Richard |
| records in 1966 by winning his second Daytona 500. | | | | Petty won the Firecracker 400 at the Daytona |
| He became the first NASCAR driver to win the | | | | International Speedway, his 200th career win, which |
| event twice. But that feat was dwarfed by his | | | | would also prove to be his final win. He did not retire |
| performance in the 1967 season. Richard Petty won | | | | until 1992, but he would not win any more NASCAR |
| the 1967 Grand National Championship, his second | | | | races. Ironically, Petty's final race, the last race of the |
| championship, on the back of twenty-seven wins, | | | | 1992 season, was also the Winston Cup debut of |
| ten of which were consecutive. This earth shattering | | | | Jeff Gordon, who would later challenge Petty's |
| victory ensured his mark in the history of NASCAR, | | | | Modern Era season victory record. |
| earning him the nickname "King Richard" amongst | | | | Since retiring, Petty has remained active in the sport |
| NASCAR fans. | | | | in the role of car owner. His son, Kyle Petty, is |
| He once again made history in 1971, becoming the | | | | currently racing in the Nextel Cup, with eight career |
| first driver to win the Daytona 500 three times. He | | | | wins to date, racing for Petty Enterprises. Richard's |
| also achieved his third Championship win, with an | | | | grandson, Adam Petty, had the beginnings of a |
| impressive twenty-one total wins, and became the | | | | promising career in NASCAR racing in the late 1990's, |
| first NASCAR driver to reach career earnings in | | | | but a tragic accident during a practice session at the |
| excess of one million dollars. His string of impressive | | | | New Hampshire International Speedway took Adam's |
| NASCAR results continued, when he won the 1972 | | | | life on May 12, 2000. This was one of the NASCAR |
| Championship the following year. 1973 brought his | | | | crashes that influenced several changes in the |
| fourth Daytona 500 win, followed by his fifth | | | | NASCAR safety policies that were seen in the first |
| Daytona win in 1974, as well as his fifth National | | | | few years of the new century. |
| Championship. | | | | Although he is no longer on the track, Richard Petty's |
| Richard Petty's remarkable ability to set record after | | | | legacy continues on. His son carries on his name, and |
| record was once again evident in the 1975 season, in | | | | Petty Enterprises continues to be a successful |
| which Petty won his sixth Championship (now called | | | | NASCAR team. But more importantly, Richard Petty |
| the Winston Cup Championship, a change that had | | | | will remain in the hearts of NASCAR fans forever. |
| been brought about only a few years earlier.) He | | | | Even though he no longer sits atop the racing world, |
| went down in the record books once more with his | | | | he will always be King Richard. |