Richard Petty Reflects on the Biggest Moments of his Incredible Career

Richard Petty has won more NASCAR races than any other competitor in the sport’s history, racking up a total of two hundred wins in his long and storied career. Petty, known simply as “The King” to most, competed in the sport of stock car racing from 1958 to 1992, giving him nearly 35 years behind the wheel. During that time, Richard clocked over 1,100 races and set numerous records, many of with are likely unbreakable in today’s more tightly-policed racing atmosphere.

Among his more impressive stats, The King holds the record for most wins in a single season when he won and unbelievable 27 races in 1967. Back then, the series ran nearly 50 races per year, and Petty won more than half of them that season, during which he also set the record for most wins in a row with ten. Along with the most race wins, Petty holds the title for most #1 qualifying positions with 123 pole positions earned.

As part of the celebration of his upcoming 80th birthday, the King joined the NASCAR Hub crew for a look back at some of his more memorable moments on the track. If you’re old enough to remember any of these moments, you likely already know all you need to know about Petty in that he came up during a time when the rules weren’t as closely policed from the front of the car to the back. In all honesty, Petty is likely one of, if not the sole reason the rules are so stringent today. Where there was a gray area, Petty and his team would take full advantage of it until the rules-makers caught on and changed things. However, that doesn’t mean the man was less talented, as he was certainly an insane talent behind the wheel.

Along with his talent, Petty built a stellar reputation with the fans, voted as NASCAR’s most popular driver eight different times throughout his career. While many drivers developed reputations as hot-heads or were cold and distant from the fans, Richard embraced the throngs of loyal fans that supported him until his retirement and beyond. Since last taking a lap behind the wheel, Petty has been inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, as well as the prestigious International Motorsports Hall of Fame.

https://www.facebook.com/NASCARonFOX/videos/1401360393253071/