The 2023 NASCAR season is over, and so marks the end of the 75th Anniversary season of the sport, yet 2024 will mark a major milestone for NASCAR's most famous family.
The Petty family will celebrate its 75th anniversary in the sport next year. The Pettys began their foray into NASCAR in 1949, when Lee first got behind the wheel of a stock car and entered NASCAR in its second season.
After that, it's all been special for the whole family.
75 years of the Petty family in racing begins in 2024 ?
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— Richard Petty (@therichardpetty) December 4, 2023
Lee became one of the biggest NASCAR drivers of his era until his son surpassed him, as Richard lived up to his nickname, "The King." Seven Championships and 200 wins later, Richard still makes an impact to this day, as he pushed NASCAR into pop culture lore. In addition to being NASCAR's winningest driver, Richard has had a long tenure in team ownership in racing, though he has taken a step back with Legacy Motor Club, which is overseen by fellow 7-time champion, Jimmie Johnson.
Richard's son Kyle may not have won a lot of races or a championship, but his legacy is still a major part of the Petty lore. He works for NBC Sports and his opinions and insight about the sport can be heard throughout the NASCAR world
The Pettys announced in a press release that 2024 would mark their 75th anniversary in the sport, and Kyle had plenty to say about how special it all is for their family to have such longevity in NASCAR.
"My father is a walking encyclopedia of NASCAR," Kyle said. "He was there with my grandfather, grandmother, and uncle Maurice at the first NASCAR race in Charlotte in 1949 and our family has been going ever since. There isn't anything our family hasn't seen in NASCAR."
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Between Lee, Richard and Kyle, the Pettys combined to win 262 Cup races in its 74 years in the sport. Legacy Motor Club will carry special decals commemorating the family's 75th anniversary during the 2024 season.
According to Richard, the family would never have achieved so much in the sport without the entire Petty family's commitment to it across four generations.
"75 years in the sport is an incredible milestone for our family, especially when it all began as a family business," Petty said. "Spending 2024, celebrating the success and contributions to the sport of racing that started with my mom and dad, then my brother Maurice, cousin Dale Inman, then to Kyle, Timmy, Ritchie, Mark onto Adam and now Thad (Moffitt). We are all looking forward to sharing these stories with the fans."
The Petty family has experienced both triumph and tragedy in its long history in NASCAR. Next year will be a great opportunity for the fans and the entire sport to salute their legacy.
