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