The 10 most memorable moments of Richard Petty's career

Richard Petty's name is etched in NASCAR history as one of its most enduring figures. Called 'The King,' he has 200 Cup Series wins, seven championships in a 34-year career. Nobody has come close to touching those numbers since.

The son of three-time champion Lee Petty stepped into NASCAR in 1958 while still working on his dad's car, but he quickly turned raw talent into total dominance.

From breakthroughs to history-making championships, Petty's moments have shaped the culture of the sport. Here are 10 iconic moments that built his legend.

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Ten most memorable moments in Richard Petty's career

#10 First NASCAR Cup Series Start (1958)

Just weeks after turning 21, Richard Petty made his debut in NASCAR's top division at a race in Toronto, Canada, on July 18, 1958. He entered that race in the #142 Convertible Oldsmobile, and though he finished 17th, it began one of motorsport's most storied careers.

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#9 The Farewell Tour and Final Cup Race (1992)

Richard Petty after the 1992 NASCAR Hooters 500 at Atlanta. Source: Getty

The 1992 season was dubbed Petty's 'Fan Appreciation Tour,' a year-long goodbye where tracks honored him at every stop. It all concluded on November 15, 1992, at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the Hooters 500. Fittingly, the race also marked Jeff Gordon’s Cup Series debut. Petty's final day didn't go to plan. Starting 39th, he wrecked early, spent time in the garage, and returned late to circulate at reduced speed. Still, the image of The King waving to fans on his cooldown lap, ending a 35-year career and 1,184 starts, remains a defining farewell.

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#8 First Cup win (1960)

It took 35 starts, but on February 28, 1960, Petty broke through at the Southern States Fairgrounds - a little half-mile dirt track in Charlotte. He won the $800 prize money and got his first taste of Victory Lane.

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#7 First Win in the Iconic No. 43 Superbird (1970)

Richard Petty drives the No. 43 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird. Source: Imagn

The 1970 Carolina 500 was messy. Petty spun twice, crashed once, and pitted 15 times. But in his new Plymouth Superbird - the winged, wedge-nosed beast built partly to lure him back from Ford - he still won by three laps. The car became one of NASCAR's most famous shapes, and this was its coming-out party.

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#6 Bristol win closes most dominant season in the modern era (1975)

Petty's 1975 season was a masterclass: 13 wins in a 30-race year. His final victory came at Bristol on November 2, where he led nearly every lap after the midway point. For four straight months, he never finished worse than second. It was matched only by Jeff Gordon in the modern era.

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#5 The Seventh Championship (1979)

Driver Richard Petty (43) in the 1970 Nashville 420 NASCAR race. Source: Imagn

On October 21, 1979, Petty edged Benny Parsons by 0.17 seconds at Rockingham, which helped him pass Darrell Waltrip in the season standings. Two races later, he clinched his seventh championship in Ontario, a record he still shares with Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson.

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#4 The Daytona 500 crash (1976)

Coming to the final lap of the 1976 Daytona 500, Petty led 40 laps, and David Pearson led 37 as they went door-to-door. It ended in one of NASCAR's most iconic moments, as both of them spun just before the finish line, and Petty's car stopped just before the line. Pearson managed to put his damaged car across for finish line for victory.

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#3 The Greatest Season Ever (1967)

Petty won 27 of the 48 races in the 1967 National Series and ended the year with an average finish of fifth. The Wilkes 400 on October 1, 1967, was Petty's 10th consecutive win of the season - a streak unmatched to this day.

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#2 First Daytona 500 Victory (1964)

At just 26 years old, Petty won the 1964 Daytona 500. He led 184 of 200 laps, including the last 149 without a change, and lapped the entire field. That victory not only brought his first Daytona 500 trophy but also his first Grand National Series trophy later that year.

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#1 200th win in front of President Reagan (1984)

Richard Petty after the 1984 Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Source: Getty

Richard Petty edged past Cale Yarborough under a yellow flag to take his 200th and final Cup Series win. He executed the classic bump and run move on Cale, who led a race-high 79 laps. Additionally, US President Ronald Reagan was in attendance, who called the race from Air Force One on the way in.