Richard Petty is considered by many to be the greatest driver in NASCAR history. He won a record 200 races, seven Daytona 500s, and 27 races in a single season, and is tied with Dale Earnhardt for the most championships, at seven. He is known as “The King,” a title which, in the American South, is reserved strictly for Jesus Christ, Elvis Presley, and Richard Petty.

Born on July 2, 1937 in Level Cross, North Carolina, Richard Lee Petty is the son of Lee Petty, a NASCAR legend and one of the pioneers of the sport who won the first Daytona 500 and three NASCAR points championships when the top series was still known as the Grand National. Richard’s son, Kyle, is also a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver, though he has failed to match the success of his father or grandfather. Richard’s grandson, Adam Petty, was a promising young driver who was killed in 2000 while testing for a Busch Series race at New Hampshire International Speedway, bringing the Petty racing dynasty to a tragic end.

Known for his toothy grin, black cowboy hat, black sunglasses, and black moustache, Petty was a huge favorite with the fans. He won the Most Popular Driver award nine times, and was known to spend hours signing autographs for fans – not leaving until the last fan got an autograph – a practice which continues to this day as he continues traveling the NASCAR circuit as the owner of the Petty Enterprises racing team.

Because of the longevity of his career, his continued presence at the tracks, and the fact that he is so gracious to his fans, it has been theorized that Petty has signed more autographs than any person in history.

Career highlights;

• Petty began racing in NASCAR just 10 days after his 18th birthday, and was named NASCAR’s Rookie of the Year in 1959, at age 19. The following year, he finished second in the points standings.

• He won his first Daytona 500 in 1964 and his first Grand National Championship (now known as the Nextel Cup).

• In 1967, Petty won a record 27 of the 48 races he entered, including an unprecedented ten in a row on the way to his second Grand National Championship.

• In 1971, he won 21 races, including the Daytona 500, and captured his third championship.

• He won eight times in 1972, and added a fourth title to his resume, the first Winston Cup championship at the dawning of the so-called “modern era” in NASCAR.

• He won the Daytona 500 in 1973, and repeated the feat in 1974, along with his fifth championship.

• He won 13 times in 1975, and won his sixth championship. Those 13 victories are the most in the modern era, and were matched by Jeff Gordon in 1998.

• He won the Daytona 500 again in 1979 – the first to be televised in its entirety and which featured the famous fight between Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough – and captured his seventh and final Winston Cup championship.

• Petty won the Daytona 500 again in 1981, and recorded his final Winston Cup victory in 1984 in the Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway, bringing his career total to 200.