Sports Memorabilia -> Autographs-Original -> Racing-Nascar
Richard Petty is a NASCAR driving legend. Known as “The King,” he was one of the most fan-friendly sports figures in the history of racing or any sport, always willing to sign autographs and engage with the fans for as long as they remained after each event. He holds the distinction of winning the NASCAR championship 7 times along with only one other racer, fellow racing legend Dale Earnhardt.
Richard Petty won a career total of 200 races, and few will argue with the claim that he’s the greatest NASCAR driver in history. Racing was in his blood from birth, it seemed, because his father, won the very first Daytona 500 (of which Richard would win 7) in 1959, and was a 3-time NASCAR championship winner. His son, Kyle, is a NASCAR driver, too. His grandson, Adam, died in 2000 while racing.
Richard Petty won his first Daytona 500 in 1964 and his second in 1966, making him the first NASCAR driver to win it twice. He became a drag racer in 1965, while he boycotted the Daytona 500 due to their ban of a certain type of engine. During a crash in Georgia that year, 7 people were injured and an 8-year-old boy in the crowd was killed.
In 1967, back to regular NASCAR driving, Richard Petty won over half of the races he competed in, earning him the nickname “King Richard.” In 1969, Petty switched from Plymouths to Ford, but then went back to driving a Plymouth in 1970 because of the look of the Plymouth Superbird. He won his last NASCAR championship, his 7th, in 1979, after not winning a single race in 1978, in part because he couldn’t seem to “break in” the Dodge he drove.
Richard Petty announced his pending retirement in 1991, stating that after the 1992 season he would retire. He went on a year-long tour around the country, meeting with fans and enjoying his celebrity. His last race was Jeff Gordon’s first career start.
In 1993, Richard Petty crawled back into a race car, driving several laps around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and then donating the car to the track’s museum. In 2003 he drove a solo lap to commemorate his 7 Winston Cups at the Homestead Miami Speedway. And in 2007, he drove a Daytona car during the pace laps at the Pepsi 400. Petty was as famous for the crashes he survived as he was the races he won, and was famous for his willingness to talk to fans and stand sometimes for hours to be sure none were missed if they were waiting to get his autograph or talk to him.
Richard Petty autographs aren’t hard to come by because of his career-long willingness to sign them. Just be sure to compare any you find in an online auction or shop with known examples of his signature for authenticity. You can find jackets, posters, programs, replicas of his cars and tons of other items at large marketplaces like eBay.
Originally posted 2008-12-14 05:00:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Buying NFL Sports Memorabilia Every fan of the NFL would absolutely love the chance to own a piece of real NFL Sports memorabilia. This may be an old match program or a signed shirt or a signed football. The NFL Sports game is a well loved game worldwide, and it has a huge amount...... -
How to Buy Sports Memorabilia Learning how to buy sports memorabilia and collect sports memorabilia is something that can be both profitable and enjoyable at the same time. Here are some tips, some definitions and some examples that are going to help you to better understand the entire process for learning how to buy sports...... -
Michael Jordan Posters sports-memorabilia -> Basketball-NBA -> Lithographs-Posters-and-Prints During the 1990s, it wasn't uncommon to see Michael Jordan posters lining the walls of kids rooms. Born in 1963, Jordan played college ball at the University of North Carolina and began his professional career (and played his best years) with National Basketball Association...... -
Types of Sporting Memorabilia If you are trying to get into sporting memorabilia and would like a good idea of what types of memorabilia are out there, keep reading. Here you are going to find a basic look at what types of sporting memorabilia are out there so that you can go about finding...... -
Muhammad Ali Sports Memorabilia -> Fan Apparel and Souvenirs -> Boxing Not that long ago, everyone recognized the name Muhammad Ali. He wasn't just popular during his heyday, though, even though many of the younger generation might not recognize his name today. As recently as 1999, he was given the title “Sportsman......
Related Websites -
Is Autographed Memorabilia Worth it? Sometimes you may see it claimed that autographed memorabilia is one of the biggest wastes of money out there, but is this true? A man named Chris Pummer once equated autographed memorabilia to premium coffee as well as cigarettes as the biggest possible wastes of money, but is this true...... -
Benefits of Collecting Autographed Memorabilia Collecting autographed memorabilia is a hobby that can be enjoyable whether or not you are actually into sports collectibles or collecting other types of memorabilia for that mater. Collecting autographed memorabilia, in fact, has become a fad among pretty much everyone because collecting autographed memorabilia is a great way to...... -
Skier Profile for Lindsey Vonn Lindsey Vonn was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on 10/18/1984. Her hometown, however, is Vail Colorado which is where she got her start in skiing. She has been skiing for a total of nine years, and has claimed titles both as a junior and upon reaching adulthood as well. Lindsey...... -
Federer Wins His 15th Grand Slam! When the dust settled from the epic battle between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick, Federer managed to capture a fifteenth Grand Slam title after a classic five-set Wimbledon match. The final scoring was 5 - 7, 7 - 6 (6), 7 - 6 (5), 3 - 6: 16 - 14...... - International Tennis Federation Champions Nadal and Jankovic The International Tennis Federation has named Rafael Nadal and Jelena Jankovic as their world champions of 2008. Nadal stepped past Federer in the Wimbledon final win, and he is the first Spaniard to achieve the honor of men's world champion. Nadal also won the French Open title in 2008, his......
