Richard Petty drops heartfelt 3-word reaction on late grandson Adam Petty’s death anniversary 

NASCAR legend Richard Petty shared a short message on social media for his late grandson. Twenty-five years ago, on May 12, Adam Petty, son of Richard's son Kyle Petty, died during a practice session for a NASCAR Busch (Xfinity) race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He was 19 years old when his car's throttle struck and he hit the wall at high speed.

Richard shared a picture with Adam to mark his death anniversary on X and wrote:

"Thinking of Adam."

Adam was the fourth-generation driver of the Petty family. His great-grandfather Lee Petty was a pioneer in NASCAR’s early days. Richard was the first to win seven Cup championships and still holds a record 200 NASCAR wins and Adam’s father, Kyle Petty, also raced professionally.

Following Adam’s death, NASCAR introduced important safety upgrades, including a kill switch on the steering wheel to instantly shut down the car in emergencies. His passing was a turning point for the sport, which saw three more driver deaths in the months that followed.

However, stronger gear like head and neck restraints only became mandatory after Dale Earnhardt’s death at Daytona International Speedway, from a basilar skull fracture, in 2001.

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"Majority of the people who have ever met him remember his smile" - Richard Petty after Adam's tragic death

Adam Petty started racing at age 18 and won his first ARCA race, driving for Petty Enterprises. In 1999, he moved to NASCAR’s Busch Series, with his best finish being fourth at Auto Club Speedway in California. Forty days before his tragic death, Adam made one start in the Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway but could not finish the race.

Days after his death, Richard Petty spoke about the loss and its emotional impact on family and fans at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"You see very few 19-year-old kids that's affected as many people, that's touched as many people, as what Adam has. I think the majority of the people who have ever met him remember his smile, patting them on the back, joking with them or whatever," Richard Petty said (via Associated Press).

One month later that year, in June, Richard returned to the track with the family team, carrying Adam’s memory forward.

"It could happen when you're walking down the street....just happened to come up in a race car," he said (via Las Vegas Sun).

Five months after Adam’s death, in October 2000, the Petty family teamed up with actor Paul Newman to start Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, North Carolina. The camp opened in 2004 to help children with serious illnesses. Richard Petty and his late wife Lynda also donated 84 acres of their land in Randleman, North Carolina, to establish the camp.

NASCAR sponsor Sprint also donated a replica of Adam’s No. 45 car, which now stands at the camp's entrance.