‘Tis the season! NASCAR drivers are in a holiday mood, spending their holidays in their unique ways. Dale Earnhardt Jr had a jolly time decorating his home with Isla and Nicola. Similarly, Denny Hamlin posted an adorable photo of his daughter Molly in a red suit. Kyle Petty is also specially engaged with his family, as his wife presented him with a token of his family’s heritage.

Daytona International Speedway is integral to NASCAR’s history, and the Petty family stands at its forefront. Lee Petty, the family patriarch, fetched the honor of winning the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959. His son Richard Petty went on to uphold the heritage, and so did his grandson Kyle. Now the latter cherishes a piece of memorabilia from that famed racetrack, leaving fans feeling nostalgic.

Well, the 8-time Cup Series race winner has driven at Daytona several times. Kyle Petty has collected 21 top-tens and 9 top-fives at the historic drafting track but has never won. Yet the veteran has a rich family history to look back upon and cherish. After Lee Petty established the family legacy, Richard built on it with towering achievements. ‘The King’ holds 7 Daytona 500 victories and 10 overall wins at the Florida beach track, being the undisputed ruler of racing in Daytona. Maurice Petty, Richard’s brother, also owns the credit to 8 Daytona 500 wins as an engine builder.

Now, Kyle Petty got to remember and celebrate all this rich heritage nestled in his family history books. His wife Morgan presented him with a classic ‘NASCAR’ gift for the holiday season. It is a white retro jacket with bold red letters sewn up front on the left, reading ‘DAYTONA BEACH FLORIDA’. On the right side, the old logo of NASCAR and Winston Cup is visible, with the tag ‘Ground National Drivers’ below. Petty was wearing this piece of memorabilia with glee, and captioned his heartfelt gratitude for his wife. “Morgan got me the coolest present ever! Never been worn!”

Morgan Petty has been happily married to the veteran since 2015. The two share three children together – Overton, Cotten, and Davant. Kyle Petty showed their bountiful love in an Instagram post recently, and now it was Morgan’s turn. The jacket also reminds us of how Daytona International Speedway acknowledged the legendary family recently. The racetrack handed the reins to the Petty family to be the grand marshals for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race. Then in February this year, the racetrack unveiled the first of 28 unique statues featuring Petty’s famed hat. The feathered Charlie 1 Horse is also titled ‘The King’s Hat.’

As Kyle Petty refreshed these memories, fans also hopped aboard this trip.

NASCAR community gives longing looks to Kyle Petty’s souvenir

Daytona is a hallowed venue in NASCAR. The community of 72,000-plus in the heart of Florida’s Fun Coast region is like a motorsports mecca and has been so ever since ‘The World Center of Racing’ was completed in 1959. So spotting a piece of treasured merchandise related to this NASCAR asset is bound to enthrall fans. After Kyle Petty sported the Daytona Speedway jacket, one fan counted him lucky for having a thoughtful wife. “That’s awesome Kyle! You’ve got an awesome wife! Congrats!” Another fan paid tribute to the 76-year-old rich history that Daytona International Speedway holds. “Now that’s classics at its finest.”

Once Kyle Petty took a trip down memory lane, fans also did not hesitate to do the same. A veteran race fan quipped how they have the same vintage jacket that Petty’s wife gifted him. That is a precious piece of property, as it marked their love for their favorite racers. “I got my one close to that I bought in Feb 86 at Daytona. I added few patches from the races i attended and my favorite drivers Richard, Bill and Kyle!” Somebody else also refreshed past memories on the racetrack, where their father also drove cars once. Their piece of memorabilia is a faint echo of Richard Petty’s classic Blue Plymouth Superbird car. “I have one my dad gave me from Atlanta when he ran the track. I put a huge Plymouth patch on the back that was petty blue. Before the STP colors came along. Still have it and I’ll be 60 in the spring🏁🏁”

Well, Daytona International Speedway is just one hallowed NASCAR racetrack. North Wilkesboro Speedway is another one, which lay in ruins since its last race in 1996. Dale Earnhardt Jr. revived it and the track was back in action from 2023. So another fan recollected a souvenir from that track. “I’ve got a full suit with my great uncle’s name embroidered on it, tailor made in North Wilkesboro; he was a senior marketing VP for RJR over Winston Cup accounts.”

Evidently, Kyle Petty’s Christmas gift left gearheads feeling nostalgic about the past. Daytona remains a treasured asset to the whole sport.