Richard Petty

1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion

Born: July 2, 1937
Hometown: Level Cross, NC
The File: Won 7 NASCAR Winston Cup titles (1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979) and 200 races. Started 1,184 with 126 poles, 599 race leads, and 555 top five finishes. Completed 307,836 laps and led 52,194 of them. Career spanned 35 seasons and his successes helped propel NASCAR into the spotlight. Best season also considered the best in NASCAR Winston Cup history. In 1967, won 27 of the season's 48 races - including a record 10 straight - and finished second 7 times. Drove 303,662 miles in NASCAR Winston Cup races.

Richard Petty is not "the King" of NASCAR racing simply because he won more races than anyone else. Petty set the standard for drivers on and off the track during a thirty-five year career that established records for fans as well as victories.

NASCAR's winningest driver was also its most popular personality during a time when the general sporting public was first taking notice of NASCAR.

There was Petty leading the pack. And there was Petty - with his signature dark glasses, oversized cowboy hat, and toothy grin - signing autographs and doing interviews until dark had descended on yet another of his 1,184 NASCAR Winston Cup outings.

He came from a racing family. Father Lee was one of NASCAR's pioneers who claimed three championships of his own. The senior Petty formed Petty Enterprises for Richard and youngest son, Maurice, who became the team's engine builder while cousin Dale Inman served as crew chief.

But Petty took racing beyond the family, and NASCAR out of the South. The cars that Petty drove to victory became Detroit's hot sellers. No. 43 and "Petty Blue" became NASCAR's most identifiable trademarks.

More importantly, Petty understood that the fans were the core of his popularity and the heart of racing itself.

"His legacy is not all the races he won and all the trophies and all the championships," states son and NASCAR Winston Cup driver Kyle. "It's how he laid the groundwork for NASCAR Winston Cup drivers to treat fans."