Richard Petty’s seven NASCAR Cup Championships and his streak of 200 victories across 35 years of racing remain as unsurpassed monuments in the sport. Given the format alterations NASCAR continues implementing, his records appear safe from being overtaken by any contemporary driver anytime soon.
Petty’s final championship conquest came in 1979, after which his performance trajectory took a downward turn. In fact, during his last five Cup seasons, Petty failed to crack the top 20 in the final driver standings, prompting him to hang up his helmet in 1992. Used to competing up front, Petty’s final years in NASCAR were anything but competitive, and that made his farewell race at Atlanta Motor Speedway even more emotionally charged for The King.
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Revisiting that moment recently while fielding fan questions on his YouTube channel, Petty Family Racing, the seven-time champion acknowledged wrestling with intense emotions that day. He understood the finality awaiting him at the conclusion of the NASCAR Cup Series race that had defined his existence. Petty recalled the weight of that realization.
“I think if I ever get emotional or ever got emotional, that was probably the most emotional that me and the whole family was because we knew it was going to be the last of the whole deal, and he went out and they said just be careful, finish the race, don’t race with nobody. First thing you know, I get in a wreck.”
The internal conflict gnawed at him throughout the day. “So, the emotions were really high, and it was just one of those deals that I guess I was really glad it was over, but on the other hand, I wished I had some more left in me.”
Dale Inman, longtime crew chief for the No. 43 driver, who served as Petty’s spotter that day, echoed similar sentiments when reflecting on the King‘s swan song. Inman characterized it as a sad day for himself as well, noting he accompanied Petty to the drivers’ meeting beforehand. Petty addressed his fellow competitors directly, saying, ‘Okay, if y’all won’t hit me today, I won’t hit y’all.’
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That exchange signaled to Inman that Petty harbored no intentions of battling for position. Despite that, the team had prepared a solid machine for him. But then Petty found himself tangled in an accident that wrecked his car, relegating him to a 35th-place finish in his final outing.
While Petty’s career reached its conclusion that day, Jeff Gordon’s Cup journey commenced at the same event. Both drivers encountered misfortune early in the proceedings. On Lap 96, Petty got into a collision that set his car ablaze. He later quipped that he had hoped to depart in a burst of glory but instead simply went out in flames.
But that race was more than just Petty’s last one because it’s the only event featuring Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Gordon competing simultaneously, arguably the most influential figures in NASCAR history.
The post “The Emotions Were Really High”: Richard Petty Looks Back Fondly on the Final Race of His NASCAR Career appeared first on The SportsRush.
