HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The career of Richard Petty spanned 35 seasons. To put in perspective, “The King” raced as long as Fireball Roberts lived. Even more miraculous is that Petty’s career spanned a particularly bloody era in the 1960s, when speed began outrunning safety.
While Petty cheated death 1,185 times during the course of his legendary run, he nonetheless had a few close calls- and sadly- tragedy and near tragedy touched his family. These accounts are a part of his story- and to this observer- says a great deal about the man and his family that they still serve as goodwill ambassadors for the sport that has alternately been so kind, and yet so cruel to them.
Daytona Qualifiers- 1961
In the first of two 100-mile qualifying races for the Daytona 500, Richard wrecked, flying over the rail in the first race. The young Petty landed on his wheels, sprained an ankle and cut his hand. His father, Lee, met a far worse fate.
The elder Petty, still going strong in his late 40’s, tangled bumpers on the final lap of the second 100-miler with Johnny Beauchamp, the same driver Lee beat out in a legendary photo finish in the inaugural 1959 race.
The two went airborne over the rail, the “73” of Beauchamp upside down in the air as it went over. The fourth turn guardrail was completely destroyed, and you wouldn’t have thought from the look of Lee Petty’s car, that he would have survived. Beauchamp was treated and released from a local hospital for head injuries, while Petty suffered life-threatening injuries: a punctured lung, chest fractures, a broken leg, broken collarbone and several internal injuries. There were times when they didn’t think Lee would make it.
After nearly four months in the hospital, Lee Petty was released in June. The 3-time champion made only six more starts after that and hung up his helmet in 1964.
Darlington- 1970
After a year of racing in a Ford Torino, Richard Petty was racing in a Plymouth Roadrunner and running strong. In the Rebel 400, Petty cut a tire, launching him into a hard hit on the wall separating the track from the pits.
Looking at the video of the crash, you have to wonder how Petty made it out alive. As you watch the footage, you can see him moving around a lot, and his head hit the pavement several times. You can see his arm out of the car as it comes to rest.
Now, any of who are race fans know he makes it out alive. Petty injured his shoulder, and he misses seven races, opening the door for Bobby Isaac to win the points that year, though Richard won 18 races.
Now, read this carefully before you click on the link to the YouTube video. Keeping in mind that he survived, I wouldn’t describe this as a gruesome video, BUT some of you may find the images of this harrowing crash to be disturbing. With that warning, click here for the video. Petty would go on to win five more championships and race into the early 1990s.
Talladega- 1975
Petty’s 20-year-old brother-in-law Randy Owens worked on the champion’s crew. Petty came to the pits in mid-race with his car on fire. Owens fitted a hose to a pressurized water tank. It exploded, sending Owens 30 feet into the air, killing him instantly.
Pocono- 1980
At the Coca- Cola 500, Petty loses a wheel as he crashes into Turn Two. While the wreck itself doesn’t look all that bad, he found himself stopped and facing backwards as cars tried to work their way around him. A hit from Darrell Waltrip is likely what caused Petty to break his neck. It’s another case of a wreck not looking as bas as it really was in terms of the danger.
This is some video footage of the crash (click here). Petty kept the extent of his injuries close to the vest, although Joe Millikan relieved Petty in a number of events. He wouldn’t be able to sneak it by NASCAR officials now.
Daytona- 1988
In one of the most legendary wrecks of all time, Petty crashes on the 106th lap, when he tangles with Phil Barkdoll, and gets hit by A.J. Foyt.
The wild ride that bears a resemblance to Bobby Allison’s famous Talladega crash, virtually disassembles his car right there on the track! Lynda Petty feared she’d lost her husband in that Valentine’s Day race. Petty walks away.
If you haven’t seen it, the video is available via YouTube here. Recalling that 1961 Daytona wreck involving his father, am I the only one who finds an irony in that Barkdoll was driving car #73, the same as Beauchamp’s in 1961? Not even Hollywood can dream up the stuff that happened in this guy’s career.
Atlanta- 1992
Though it wasn’t life threatening, Richard Petty’s finale didn’t quite have a Hollywood ending. This video of the start of the race and Petty’s crash kind of get you in a nostalgic mood. Note: Petty’s language does get a bit colorful when his car catches fire, just to warn you(click here).
In Part Two of the video, ever the showman, Petty comes out for the final lap while Bill Elliott wins the race and Alan Kulwicki wins the championship in one of the greatest title fights of all time (click here).
New Hampshire- 2000
One of the family’s greatest tragedies involved not Petty himself, not his son, Kyle, but grandson Adam Petty. The rookie died when his throttle stuck open, causing the fourth generation Petty racer to hit the wall head-on.
Kyle moved in to the #45 ride to honor his son. When he lost his ride in 2009, it marked the end of having a Petty on the track.
If good came out of the Petty’s hardships, it was this: after Richard’s wreck in 1970, window nets were mandated by NASCAR, and Petty was the designer for it.
Out of Adam’s tragic death came a kill switch for the cars. Petty’s death, along with the deaths of Kenny Irwin Jr. and Dale Earnhardt, ushered in further safety measures, such as the mandatory use of the HANS (head and neck) device.
When opining on the death of Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip commented its in moments like that you hate racing. Given that, it’s a testament to the Petty family that they’ve soldiered on as goodwill ambassadors for the sport, when no one would blame them from walking away from it all forever.
A look into this side of the Petty story reminds one of the inherent dangers of auto racing and the risks these thrill seekers and entertainers make.
Thinking about the near misses, it’s truly amazing Richard Petty is still with us today, having lived to tell about a lifetime of brilliant racing memories.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
HE IS THE KING AND WILL ALL WAYS BE THE KING
AND I HOPE HE LIVES LONG ENGOUTH THE SEE 43
RUNING UP FRONT ALL THE TIME
JIM
@JIM. Me too. He’s a class act.
I remember watching that Darlington race and being horrified by Richard’s crash. These days, people look at bad wrecks as something to liven up a dull race, the announcers practically plead for “the big one” at Talledega.
But back in 1970, it wasn’t unusual to lose three or four top-name drivers a year. Although mainly in open wheel races like Indy & F1. Richard’s crash was severe enough that it looked like we’d lost him at the peak of his career.
If I remember correctly, he’d damaged the Superbird in practice, so he had to drive the short track car. This is significant because the huge wing on the ‘Bird made it very difficult to get sideways. It may have prevented the straight-on hit that the Roadrunner took.
Not trying to be a “know it all” you left out Richard running over and killing a six year old child in Georgia in 1966. And Adam running over his ASA crew cheif and killing him. It has been said many times Richard is haunted by the look in the childs eyes after the aacident. Being a father myself I could not imagine the pain.
@Doug. I did fail to mention it in this account, but did cover the Georgia drag racing incident in the previous installment, Yeah, I could mentioned here too.
I didn’t know about the Adam Petty and the ASA, but appreciate your addition of that in these comments. As a dad, and as one who watched his own parent endure the loss of a child (my brother had Cystic Fibrosis), I could not imagine losing a child.