Petty, Richard

Petty, Richard,

1937–, American auto racing driver, b. Level Cross, N.C. The son of Lee Petty, a champion stock car race driver, he won a record 200 National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing races, among them a record seven Daytona 500s, in his 35-year career (1958–92). He was also the career leader in starts and money earned. "King Richard" won the Winston Cup (now the Sprint Cup), emblematic of NASCAR supremacy, seven times (1964, 1967, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1979), a record later equaled by Dale EarnhardtEarnhardt, Dale
(Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr.) , 1951–2001, American auto racing driver widely regarded as stock car racing's greatest star, b. Kannapolis, N.C. The 1979 National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) Rookie of the Year, he became, initially in
..... Click the link for more information.  and Jimmie JohnsonJohnson, Jimmie Kenneth,
1975–, American auto racer, b. El Cajon, Calif. Johnson began racing at five on motorcycles, progressed to off-road buggies and trucks as a teenager, and then to stock cars on the American Speed Association circuit in 1997 and NASCAR's Busch (now
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Petty, Richard

(1937– ) auto racer; born in Level Cross, N.C. Beginning professional auto 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 between 1964 and 1981. 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 the nickname "King Richard," and on his final professional race in 1992, President George Bush made a point by being present.