Atlanta Motor Speedway Pays Tribute to Richard “The King” Petty With Custom 75th Anniversary Unveil

The celebration never seems to simmer down in the world of NASCAR. While the 2023 season marked the diamond jubilee of NASCAR, Richard Petty and his Petty Enterprises have geared up to celebrate their 75th year in the world of stock car racing as well. The legacy of the family dates back to 1949 when Lee Petty, the patriarch of the Petty family, forayed into the world of racing. Since then, the family has become an intrinsic part of NASCAR and is yet to show any signs of slowing down.

Moreover, to mark the iconic milestone, even indispensable members of the community paid tribute to King Petty and his records. While Daytona International Speedway kick-started the celebration by unveiling a replica of the iconic cowboy hat, treading on the same track is Atlanta Motor Speedway with its grand unveiling.

Atlanta Motor Speedway tips its hat to Richard Petty in iconic unveiling

The iconic black shade and feathered cowboy hats have become a marker for Richard Petty. Additionally, his record of 200 wins and 7x Cup Series championships have let the driver be posited on a pedestal in the world of NASCAR. However, it was not just Richard Petty who propelled the success of his family’s racing, but also his father, Lee Petty, and son Kyle Petty. 

These two former drivers may not have been able to notch the success equivalent to the King, but have been great in their own accords. Nevertheless, such a racing dynasty that has enthralled racing fans of all ages and generations deserves a tribute to commemorate their legacy. As a result, Daytona International Speedway ahead of the Daytona 500 had unveiled a life-size replica of Richard Petty’s cowboy hat. The 1000-pound monument would be on permanent display on the Hard Rock Bet infield fan zone of the racetrack.

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Following the same suit, ahead of the Ambetter Health 400 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, the track unveiled a similar monument, made out of fiberglass and concrete, donning the colors of the car that Richard Petty piloted in his final run on the track during the 1992 season finale. Owing to this, the replica has also been named “The King’s Last Ride”. 

The monument will be open to display for the fans during Sunday’s race weekend in the AMS Fan Zone. Furthermore, fans with pre-race passes will not only be eligible to take pictures with the display but also with Richard Petty himself. In the wake of such a memorable moment, the King extended his heartfelt thanks for all the love his family has received. 

Richard Petty and his son pay their gratitude toward the racing community

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The celebrations do not end there for the Petty family and their racing team. The Legacy Motor Club cars would also be flaunting special decals to commemorate the jubilee celebrations. 

Nevertheless, being honored and recognized by the NASCAR community, Richard Petty, in an official press release by Atlanta Motor Speedway, expressed, “It’s always special to be recognized and this does take it to the very top. This is really for the fans to enjoy something unique to our family, our history, and our contributions to the tracks and NASCAR. It took a lot of people, time, and effort to make this happen and our family is honored by that.”

On the other hand, his son Kyle Petty stated, “My dad’s cowboy hat is iconic and is a part of who Richard Petty is. If you see that hat, you know it’s Richard Petty. It’s been his signature look for as long as any race fan can remember. This is a great way to celebrate our family’s heritage and a fun way for fans to honor and learn about our history within the sport. We can’t thank LEGACY M.C., and all the tracks enough for working together to bring this to life.”

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That being said, it will be interesting to see what else is in store as a part of the celebrations, with more replicas likely being unveiled at other locations.