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Richard Petty, Petty Enterprises
Birth Date: July
2, 1937
Height: 6’ 2”
Weight: 180 lbs.
Birthplace: Level Cross, N.C.
Wife: Linda
Children: Kyle, Sharon,
Lisa, Rebecca
Known
to many simply as “The King,” Richard Petty
is the most decorated driver in the history of NASCAR racing, winning
a record number 200 career victories and seven NASCAR Nextel Cup
championships in his illustrious career. One would think that after
1,184 races spanning three decades that “The King” would
bow out and retire quietly. Petty, however, had other things on
his mind. Today Petty is as busy as ever mainly overseeing the
operation of the famed #43 car that he made famous. In 1996, Petty
proved that he could be a champion both as a driver and car owner
when he won his first race as an owner in the Dura Lube 500k with
driver Bobby Hamilton at the Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway.
Petty won again in 1997 with Hamilton and in 1999 with driver John
Andretti.
Today,
Petty still looks over the operation of the #43 Dodge with Bobby
Labonte now in charge of “The King’s” car.
The 2007 season will mark Labonte’s second season behind
the wheel with General Mills, and its Cheerios brand, teaming up
with Petty to sponsor the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge.
Racing
is about winning, and “The King” has proven
he knows how to do just that, but it is giving back to the community
and his fans that makes Petty “The King” of auto racing.
Wearing his signature cowboy hat and sunglasses one can always
see Petty signing an autograph or giving a helping hand. In fact,
Petty was instrumental in the development of the Victory Junction
Gang Camp, a camp for chronically ill children, after donating
acres of his land that the camp sits on today. There is no other
person in NASCAR’s history to have made more of an impact
on the sport, on and off the track, than Richard Petty. He has
been elected to the National Motorsports Press Association Hall
of Fame, International Motorsports Hall of Fame, North Carolina
Auto Racing Hall of Fame, and also the North Carolina Athletic
Hall of Fame. He also serves as Chairman of the North Carolina
Motorsports Association.
A
person who has seen the sport grow from the beaches of Daytona
to the high-banked superspeedways of Talladega, Petty is no stranger
to tough challenges. With the continued growing strength of Petty
Enterprises, under the watchful eye of Petty, it won’t be
long before “The King” will once again be standing
along side the #43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge in victory lane.
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