Though his fame would be eclipsed by his son Richard, Lee Petty was a very successful race car driver in his own right and a pioneer during the early days of the sport. His legacy includes not only his son, better known to NASCAR fans as "The King" Richard Petty and Petty Enterprises has fielded race teams for four generations.
Lee Petty was one of the first to take a businesslike approach to the sport of stock car race in an era when many teams and drivers still supplemented their income via bootlegging and running moonshine. He raced in the very first NASCAR stock car race ever on June 19th, 1949. Among his many firsts in the sport is the dubious distinction of bringing out the first caution flag in NASCAR history. To chronicle his achievements in the sport in a nutshell, he won 50 Cup races, including the first one ever on a paved track. He also caused his share of trouble and was never afraid to mix it up. He once hit Curtis Turner over the head with a wrench after a race, and another time got into a fistfight during the pre race festivities. Lees two sons quickly joined the skirmish but the fight was ended by Mrs. Petty (Richards grandmother) swinging her purse"made heavier than the typical pocketbook by the .44 handgun she carried inside.
Lee also won three NASCAR championships (the precursor to today's Sprint Cup) during his career. He also shepherded his son, Richard, into the sport. Surprisingly, things didn't immediately go well for the Petty offspring--he'd race only 9 times in the first season and ended up in a wreck more often than not. He'd eventually turn things around and the man now known as "The King" Richard Petty would go on to win a staggering 200 NASCAR races--a mark that may never be broken.
Lee's career as a driver was cut short due to a bad accident at the 1961 Daytone 500. His car hit a guard rail, flipped over a few times and caused a number of broken bones and internal injuries. He tried to race a few times upon his recovery before retiring for good in 1964. He was involved in the management of Petty Engineering for awhile, but soon stepped away content in the knowledge that it was being well run by sons Richard and Maurice. He was never one to seek the limelight, and spent the rest of his life enjoying his success and that of his family. An avid golfer, he played frequently until a few months before his death in 2000 at age 86 after surgery to treat a stomach aneurysm.
Lee has a few entries in the NASCAR record books that might never be touched. He finished in the top five 231 times out of 427 races, and still holds the mark for best average finish for a full time driver at 7.6th place. Considering the times in which Lee raced"before big money sponsorships, against drivers who ran moonshine for a living, and on dirt tracks that werent always in the best of shape"that average finish mark is even more impressive and is a testimony to the toughness, dedication and courage of Lee Petty.
About the Author:
Ross Everett is a well known expert on stock car racing, falconry and Internet sports betting. He serves as a staff handicapper for a number of online sports books, as well as writing and lecturing on gambling theory as well as the stock market and investment strategy.
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