Richard Petty: The greatest racecar driver of all time?
More stories from Gwen Henderson
Race car driving and NASCAR has never been a sport that I have been very familiar with, and I don’t have any family that are really into watching the races or know what goes on in the racing world; but as I have looked into the sport this week to acquire knowledge on the top drivers, I have found out what a competitive and exciting sport race car driving can be. Through my research I have come to the conclusion that Richard Petty is the greatest stock car driver in NASCAR. With all of his accomplishments and efforts, Petty is the clear winner.
Many of you may not realize how familiar you actually are with Richard Petty. He drove the blue and red stock car with the number 43, which is featured in the classic movie Cars as the character “The King” Dinoco. Petty also voiced that very character, unknowingly being a part of your childhood. Petty was able to secure this role in the movie due to his racing career and his want to be a part of a race car story.
Petty’s family has a history of racing, and he had been around the sport for his whole life. His father Lee Petty also raced stock cars and provided the gateway for his son to enter into the racing world behind him. He began his career in 1958, and by 1959 he had already placed in the top ten in nine different races, being named rookie of the year. From the very start of his journey Petty stood out, and by the end he finished being known as “The King” by his many fans. In 1967 he had the best single-season by any stock car racer ever, he had 27 wins and ten of those wins he won consecutively, outshining the many other racers in his time.
He retired in 1992, winning 200 out of the total 1,184 races he competed in, and he won seven Winston Cups in the years 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1979. Through all of his awards and outstanding seasons, Richard Petty is by far one of the top if not the top racer ever. How could you not love and support the voice and inspiration behind one of the classic characters in your childhood?
Gwen Henderson is a senior entering her second year on FHC Sports Report. She is excited to begin her final year as a Ranger and finish her last year with...