What’s Happening?
The 2024 season marks 75 years in NASCAR for the Petty family, and they intend to celebrate it in style. The Petty Family announced on Monday that they would commemorate 75 years in NASCAR with “exclusive” and “Never before seen” content on digital platforms and social media as well as a newly released logo to be used at, “All Petty-related events”.
You Need to Know:
- The Petty Family has been involved with NASCAR since 1949. It started with the patriarch, Lee, who won 3 Championships for his family’s race team, Petty Enterprises. From there, Lee’s son, Richard, became “The King” of stock car racing with 200 wins and 7 Championships. Richard’s son, Kyle, followed suit with a 30-year Cup Series career and a broadcasting career to follow. Kyle’s son, Adam, was on his way to a racing career of his own before his tragic death at New Hampshire in 2000.
- Nowadays, Richard’s grandson, Thad, carries on the driving legacy of the Petty family. The Petty family influence is also still felt in the Cup Series with the famous 43-car on track for Legacy Motor Club.
- Fans on social media are excited to see the Petty family’s legacy honored this coming year. Some do miss the older days of Petty Enterprises, but many are excited about this commemoration nonetheless.
What the Petty Family Had to Say
In the announcement, members of the Petty family gave their thoughts on 75 years in the sport. Richard appreciates the milestone, and he is excited to share the Petty legacy with NASCAR fans.
75 years in the sport is an incredible milestone for our family, especially when it all began as a family business. Spending 2024, celebrating the success and contributions to the sport of racing that started with my mom and dad, then my brother Maurice, cousin Dale Inman, then to Kyle, Timmy, Ritchie, Mark, onto Adam and now Thad. We are all looking forward to sharing these stories with the fans.
Richard Petty
Kyle Petty talked about the depth of history his family has in the sport. The Petty Family has seen just about everything the NASCAR world has ever seen.
My father is a walking encyclopedia of NASCAR. He was there with my grandfather, grandmother and uncle Maurice at the first NASCAR race in Charlotte in 1949 and our family has been going ever since. There isn’t anything our family hasn’t seen in NASCAR.
Kyle Petty
Ritchie Petty, son of legendary engine builder, Maurice Petty, talked about the entire family’s contributions to the legacy. It was not the work of just one Petty, but the work of everyone together.
It’s special because it took the whole family to make it all work with such a huge amount of success,” said Ritchie. “Nobody in the family was more important than any other and from my grandfather to my dad and all my cousins, we felt involved in the success and the growth of the Petty family and NASCAR.
Ritchie Petty
What Awaits Petty Fans in 2024?
The announcement teased exclusive digital and social media content from never-before-seen picture and video footage. The Petty Family also mentioned that the content would be available on a new YouTube channel that has not yet launched along with plenty of Petty-related social media accounts.
Could there be footage from Petty Family wins that has never been seen? During Lee and most of Richard’s driving career, races were not nationally televised, so there could be plenty of Petty win footage that never saw the light of day. What about Kyle Petty’s famous Daytona ARCA win in his first start in 1979?
What do you hope to see from the Petty Family in 2024? Which never-before-told story do you wish to hear? We will all find out which stories will be told in 2024.