Stock-car racing driver, born in Level Cross, North Carolina, USA. Beginning professional car racing in 1958, he became the holder of numerous National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) records. He won the Daytona 500 and the NASCAR national championship each seven times during 19641981. With over 200 victories, he started more races, won more races, and made more money than any stock-car driver in history. His great popularity and financial success earned him his nickname, and on his final professional race in 1992 President George Bush made a point of being present.
He is most well-known for winning the NASCAR Championship seven times (Dale Earnhardt is the only other driver to accomplish this feat, but with 76 victories and a lone Daytona 500), winning a record 200 races during his career, winning the Daytona 500 a record seven times, and winning a record 27 races (ten of them consecutively) in the 1967 season alone. (A 1972 rule change eliminated races under 250 miles in length, reducing the schedule to 30 [now 36] races.) Petty is arguably the greatest NASCAR driver of all time. He also won seven Daytona 500s and nine Most Popular Driver awards. His father, Lee Petty, won the first Daytona 500 in 1959 and was also a NASCAR champion.Racing career
Richard Petty began his NASCAR career on July 18, 1958, 16 days after his 21st birthday. 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. 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. 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). One of the 27 victories was the Southern 500 at Darlington, which would be his only Southern 500 victory.
The 1970s
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. 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. 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. 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. Througout 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.
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. Petty and David Pearson were racing on the last lap out of turn 4 in the Daytona 500. As Petty tried to pass Pearson, at the exit of turn 4, Petty's right rear bumper hit Pearson left front bumper. Pearson passed Petty on the infield grass and won the Daytona 500.
The twilight years
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; Petty won the race as the first and second place cars of Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough crashed on the last lap.
In the 1981 Daytona 500, Petty used a "fuel only" his last pit stop with 25 laps to go to outfox Bobby Allison and grab his seventh and final Daytona 500 win. 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). On July 4, 1984, Petty's 200th win was at the Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway. 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.
Petty's last ride
In late 1991, Richard Petty announced he would retire after the 1992 season.
Despite the tremendously busy appearance schedule, and medicore race results, Petty managed to qualify for all 29 races in 1992. Petty's final race was the season-ending Hooter's 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. 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. 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. 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.
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 1990's, and won three races -- the 1996 Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix, the 1997 Subway 400 at Rockingham, both with Bobby Hamilton driving, and the 1999 Virginia 500 at Martinsville, with John Andretti driving.
Close calls
Of all the races he won, Petty is also remembered for three of the many incredible crashes that he survived:
In the 1970 Rebel 400 at Darlington, Petty was injured when his Plymouth Roadrunner cut a tire and slammed hard into the wall separating the track from the pit area. This accident injured Petty's shoulder, and helped Bobby Isaac to win the 1970 Grand National Championship. In the 1988 Daytona 500, Petty's spectacular crash on Lap 106 hurled parts all over the front stretch at the Daytona International Speedway (video). The crash was similar to the accident suffered by Bobby Allison during the 1987 Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in that both cars became airborne after turning sideways, and both cars damaged the spectator fencing (though Petty's crash did much less damage to the fencing). Petty's car became airborne despite the use of the carburetor restrictor plate, which was mandated by NASCAR for races at Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway just prior to the start of the 1988 season.Life after racing
Richard Petty is currently a spokesman for Cheerios and for GlaxoSmithKline products Nicorette and Goody's Headache Powder.
Races won
Grand National/Winston Cup (200 career wins)
1984 ( 2 wins) Budweiser 500 (Dover), Firecracker 400 (Daytona) 1983 ( 3 wins) Warner W. Hodgdon Carolina 500 (Rockingham), Winston 500 (Talladega), Miller High Life 500 (Charlotte) 1981 ( 3 wins) Daytona 500 (Daytona), Northwestern Bank 400 (North Wilkesboro), Champion Spark Plug 400 (Michigan) 1980 ( 2 wins) Northwestern Bank 400 (North Wilkesboro), Music City USA 420 (Nashville) 1979 ( 5 wins) Daytona 500 (Daytona), Virginia 500 (Martinsville), Champion Spark Plug 400 (Michigan), CRC Chemicals 500 (Dover), American 500 (Rockingham), Winston Cup Championship 1977 ( 5 wins) Carolina 500 (Rockingham), Atlanta 500 (Atlanta), World 600 (Charlotte), NAPA 400 (Riverside), Firecracker 400 (Daytona) 1976 ( 3 wins) Carolina 500 (Rockingham), Purolator 500 ( Pocono), American 500 (Rockingham) 1975 (13 wins) Richmond 500 (Richmond), Southeastern 500 (Bristol), Atlanta 500 (Atlanta), Gwyn Staley 400 (North Wilkesboro), Virginia 500 (Martinsville), World 600 (Charlotte), Tuborg 400 (Riverside), Firecracker 400 (Daytona), Champion Spark Plug 400 (Michigan), Delaware 500 (Dover), Wilkes 400 (North Wilkesboro), National 500 (Charlotte), Volunteer 500 (Bristol), Winston Cup Championship 1974 (10 wins) Daytona 500 (Daytona), Carolina 500 (Rockingham), Gwyn Staley 400 (North Wilkesboro), Music City USA 420 (Nashville), Motor State 360 (Michigan), Dixie 500 (Atlanta), Purolator 500 (Pocono), Talladega 500 (Talladega), Capital City 500 (Richmond), Delaware 500 (Dover), Winston Cup Championship 1973 ( 6 wins) Daytona 500 (Daytona), Richmond 500 (Richmond), Gwyn Staley 400 (North Wilkesboro), Alamo 500 (College Station), Capital City 500 (Richmond), Old Dominion 500 (Martinsville) 1972 ( 8 wins) Winston Western 500 (Riverside), Richmond 500 (Richmond), Gwyn Staley 400 (North Wilkesboro), Virginia 500 (Martinsville), Lone Star 500 (College Station), Capital City 500 (Richmond), Old Dominion 500 (Martinsville), Wilkes 400 (North Wilkesboro), Winston Cup Championship 1971 (21 wins) Daytona 500 (Daytona), Richmond 500 (Richmond), Carolina 500 (Rockingham), Hickory 276 ( Hickory), Columbia 200 (Columbia), Maryville 200 (Maryville), Gwyn Staley 400 (North Wilkesboro), Virginia 500 (Martinsville), Asheville 300 (Asheville), Pickens 200 (Greenville), Albany-Saratoga 250 (Malta), Islip 300 (Islip), Northern 300 (Trenton), Nashville 420 (Nashville), Dixie 500 (Atlanta), West Virginia 500 (Ona), Sandlapper 200 (Columbia), Delaware 500 (Dover), American 500 (Rockingham), Capital City 500 (Richmond), Texas 500 (College Station), Grand National Championship 1970 (18 wins) Carolina 500 (Rockingham), Savannah 200 (Savannah), Gwyn Staley 400 (North Wilkesboro), Columbia 200 (Columbia), Falstaff 400 (Riverside), Kingsport 100 (Kingsport), Albany-Saratoga 250 (Malta), Schaefer 300 (Trenton), East Tennessee 200 (Maryville), Dixie 500 (Atlanta), West Virginia 300 (Ona), Myers Brothers 250 (Winston-Salem), Halifax County 100 (South Boston), Capital City 500 (Richmond), Mason-Dixon 300 (Dover), Home State 200 (Raleigh), Old Dominion 500 (Martinsville), Georgia 500 (Macon) 1969 (10 wins) Georgia 500 (Macon), Motor Trend 500 (Riverside), Virginia 500 (Martinsville), Kingsport 250 (Kingsport), Mason-Dixon 300 (Dover), Maryland 300 (Beltsville), Nashville 400 (Nashville), Smoky Mountain 200 (Maryville), Myers Brothers 250 (Winston-Salem), Old Dominion 500 (Martinsville) 1968 (16 wins) Race 02 (Montgomery), Hickory 250 (Hickory), Greenville 200 (Greenville), Asheville 300 (Asheville), Race 21 (Maryville), Race 22 (Birmingham), Pickens 200 (Greenville), Maine 300 (Oxford), Fonda 200 (Fonda), Smoky Mountain 200 (Maryville), Race 37 (South Boston), Capital City 300 (Richmond), Hillsboro 150 (Hillsboro), Old Dominion 500 (Martinsville), Wilkes 400 (North Wilkesboro), American 500 (Rockingham) 1967 (27 wins) Augusta 300 (Augusta), Fireball 300 (Weaverville), Columbia 200 (Columbia), Hickory 250 (Hickory), Virginia 500 (Martinsville), Richmond 250 (Richmond), Rebel 400 (Darlington), Tidewater 250 (Hampton), Macon 300 (Macon), East Tennessee 200 (Maryville), Carolina 500 (Rockingham), Pickens 200 (Greenville), Northern 300 (Trenton), Race 31 (Fonda), Islip 300 (Islip), Volunteer 500 (Bristol), Nashville 400 (Nashville), Myers Brothers 250 (Winston-Salem), Sandlapper 200 (Columbia), Race 39 (Savannah), Southern 500 (Darlington), Buddy Shuman 250 (Hickory), Capital City 300 (Richmond), Maryland 300 (Beltsville), Hillsboro 150 (Hillsboro), Old Dominion 500 (Martinsville), Wilkes 400 (North Wilkesboro), Grand National Championship 1966 ( 8 wins) Georgia Cracker 300 (Augusta), Daytona 500 (Daytona), Rebel 400 (Darlington), Tidewater 250 (Hampton), Speedy Morelock 200 (Macon), Fireball 300 (Weaverville), Nashville 400 (Nashville), Dixie 400 (Atlanta) 1965 ( 4 wins) Nashville 400 (Nashville), Western North Carolina 500 (Weaverville), Buddy Shuman 250 (Hickory), Race 48 (Manassas) 1964 ( 9 wins) Sunshine 200 (Savannah), Daytona 500 (Daytona), Race 24 (South Boston), Race 29 (Concord), Music City 200 (Nashville), Race 34 (Spartanburg), Nashville 400 (Nashville), Mountaineer 500 (Huntington), Race 60 (Harris), Grand National Championship 1963 (14 wins) Race 02 (Tampa), Race 08 (Spartanburg), Race 09 (Weaverville), South Boston 400 (South Boston), Virginia 500 (Martinsville), Gwyn Staley 400 (North Wilkesboro), Columbia 200 (Columbia), Race 24 (Manassas), Race 27 (Birmingham), Race 36 (Bridgehampton), Pickens 200 (Greenville), Sandlapper 200 (Columbia), Race 51 (Randleman), South Boston 400 (South Boston) 1962 ( 8 wins) Gwyn Staley 400 (North Wilkesboro), Virginia 500 (Martinsville), Pickens 200 (Greenville), Race 39 (Huntsville), Race 41 (Roanoke), International 200 (Winston-Salem), Race 43 (Spartanburg), Wilkes 320 (North Wilkesboro) 1961 ( 2 wins) Richmond 200 (Richmond), World 600 Qualifier #1 (Charlotte) 1960 ( 3 wins) Race 06 (Charotte), Virginia 500 (Martinsville), Race 39 (Hillsboro) 1959 ( 0 wins) Rookie of the YearTeams
Petty Enterprises 1958-1983, 1986-1992
Don Robertson 1970
Mike Curb 1984-1985
Trivia
His ornate autograph can take more than 10 seconds to complete [disputed]. Petty Enterprises refuses to wear any alcohol decals, forfeiting the Budweiser Pole Award and Shootout awards, because of a deal Petty made with his mother not to do so. Richard Petty was offered $10,000 by Andy Granitelli to drop the familiar Petty Blue and paint his car all Day-Glo Red for STP. He refused, settling for a two-tone scheme, and by 1982, Gordon Johncock's Indy 500 winning STP Wildcat-Cosworth was painted in similar fashion. Petty is one of eight drivers in NASCAR history to win a Career Grand Slam, by winning the sport's four majors;|
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 |
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Preceded by: Bobby Isaac |
Nascar Grand National Champion 1971 - 1972 |
Succeeded by: Benny Parsons |
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Preceded by: Benny Parsons |
Nascar Winston Cup Champion 1974 - 1975 |
Succeeded by: Cale Yarborough |
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Preceded by: Cale Yarborough |
Nascar Winston Cup Champion 1979 |
Succeeded by: Dale Earnhardt |
The Nascar Grand National Series was changed to the Winston Cup Series after the 1971 season, then was changed into the Nextel Cup Series in 2004.
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