Born on this day, race car legend Richard Petty (1937–), lovingly known as “The King” of NASCAR, was only five when he started up his daddy’s old '38 Ford truck and drove through the fields of his family's Level Cross, North Carolina farm. Born into a racing family, Petty’s life was revved with destiny and drive.

His father Lee won the first Daytona 500 in 1959. “My Daddy was a race driver, so I became a race driver,” Petty explained with a grin. “If he'd been a grocer, I might have been a grocer.”

Known as “The King,” Petty raced the iconic #43 car to greatness. He became a seven-time Daytona 500 champion and NASCAR national champ, winning a staggering 200 races. With his cowboy hat and dark glasses, he wasn’t just a competitor—he was a symbol of NASCAR’s golden age and its heart.

“It is more important to be smooth than fancy,” he once said. And that steady grace made him beloved. Petty greeted fans with warmth, signed autographs with joy, and never forgot where he came from.

In his lifetime, racing took him everywhere—from the White House to Japan to Hollywood. Yet he remained grounded in gratitude and legacy. His passionate dedication helped turn NASCAR into America’s most beloved motorsport.

As fellow racing icon Dale Earnhardt once said, “There is only one Richard Petty. There’s only ever been one. There will only ever be one.”