It has been a long time since a member of the Petty family has been a full-time driver in NASCAR.
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They are the "first family" of the sport, as the team's patriarch Lee raced from 1949-1964; followed by his son, Richard, who took the family to the next level with seven Cup championships and 200 wins racing from 1958-1992. Richard's son, Kyle, raced from 1979 until 2008 and amassed eight NASCAR Cup victories.
Kyle's son, Adam, had a promising future but was tragically killed in a crash in New Hampshire in 2000.
It hasn't been the same without a Petty in the field, but that will change in 2024, as the family celebrates 75 years in the sport. Thad Moffitt, one of Richard Petty's grandsons, will run the full 23-race NASCAR Truck Series schedule.
— Thad Moffitt (@thadmoffitt) December 9, 2023
He will pilot the No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado for Oklahoma-based businessman Lane Moore. The team will have plenty of support as they will work closely with Al Niece and Niece Motorsports, who have become a staple in the series over the past several seasons.
Moffitt doesn't have too many starts behind the wheel of a truck, but he did make four starts in 2022, including a best finish of 18th in the season-opening race at Daytona.
Moffitt is the son of Stephen Moffitt and Rebecca Petty Moffitt, the youngest daughter of "The King."
Thad was overcome with emotion when speaking with Al Pearce from Autoweek about this opportunity.
"I almost wanted to cry tears of joy," Moffitt said. "Because this is the kind of opportunity I've wanted since I was 17 (and decided racing was his calling. I'm 23 now, so working six years for something like this ... well, it's hard to put into words how I felt when all the paperwork was done, and everybody had signed off on everything. Once I got back from meeting Lane at Bristol (in September) I told my father, 'This is it. We have to make this work. This is what I've always been looking for, a chance to go full schedule in a NASCAR series.' I'd heard big sponsor promises before but this was the one I wanted."
Moffitt has always felt the pressure of hearing 'he's Richard Petty's grandson.' It's clear he wants to prove himself behind the wheel. And he chose the No. 46 to add his legacy to the sport his family helped build.
"I've learned to embrace the pressure. I know from precedence that there are things I will always have to do (as Richard's grandson). That's one reason we chose number 46 for the truck. I couldn't relate to the family's other numbers (including Lee's 42, Richard's 43, Kyle's 44 and Adam's 45), but I can relate to this one because it's mine," Moffitt said.
He'll have a lot to learn and some pressure to face as well, but drivers from famous families have always found a way to make a name for themselves in NASCAR. Time will tell if Moffitt can add to the Petty legacy.
