Richard Petty Explains How He Became ‘The King’
It’s no secret why Richard Petty is known as ‘The King’ in NASCAR.
Petty racked up 200 wins in NASCAR’s top series during his career, a record that will likely never be broken.
But while his nickname is fitting, when and how exactly did he get it?
The 86-year-old remains close-knit to NASCAR and is celebrating the 75th anniversary of his family’s involvement with the sport this year.
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During a press conference at Sonoma Raceway ahead of the Toyota Save Mart 350, Petty was asked by a reporter who it was that crowned him.
He said he didn’t recall exactly who it was, but that it happened in the mid-1960s during a dominant era that saw him win a record 27 races in 1967. Petty said there was a small pool of three or four reporters who covered the series then.
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“These guys was pretty much partying on Saturday night, and they get a little drunk and stuff, so I think one night they got to talking about different drivers and different deals, then they got to naming people,” Petty said.
“[David] Pearson was the Silver Fox, you know, so they wound up with ‘Richard’ so I guess kings kind of went with Richard. If my name had been Joe, I don’t think it would have been King Joe.”
Petty also talked about his legacy beyond driving and that he’s most proud of the work his family has done supporting the Victory Junction camp for children with serious medical conditions, which is built on land he donated.
“When I think of the Pettys’ 75 years of racing, I think it brought the camp into play,” Petty said. “Racing just put us in a position to come out and do something like that.”
“I always looked at it, always treat people the way you wanna be treated.”
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