Richard ‘King’ Petty has been ruling the tracks of NASCAR (then Grand National Series) since 1958. Continuing the legacy of Lee Petty, Richard Petty made an impressive number of top-ten finishes, earning him the Rookie of the Year title in the following year of his debut. Considering his record-breaking achievements over the years, Petty is regarded as the king of the sport.

Further, Richard Petty was followed to NASCAR by his son Kyle Petty, who retired from the tracks in 2008. Acknowledging the Petty family’s contribution to racing, a penultimate honor was unveiled before the Daytona 500 race on qualifiers on Wednesday. The celebration unfolded with the legendary rock band in attendance.

Collaboration of Music and Racing at the Daytona 500

The 66th running of the Daytona 500 marked the Petty family’s 75th year of contribution to NASCAR. Before the Great American Race, a massive six-foot-tall cowboy hat statue was unveiled at the Daytona International Speedway. Legacy Motors Club co-owned by Jimmy Johnson collaborated with the Rock band ‘Creed’ for a memorable tribute to the Petty family.

This also marked the installation of Creed’s logo on Johnson’s No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. This was an extension to celebrate their forty-city North American tour, called the “Summer of ’99” Tour, bringing about a unique collaboration of music and racing at the opening of the Daytona 500 qualifiers.

This statue, aptly titled “The King’s Hat,” features red, white, and blue, including the iconic “Petty Blue” colored hats resembling those worn by Richard Petty. The brim of the hat showcases a mosaic of memorable moments from the Petty family’s history at Daytona. The statue will now be available in 28 one-of-a-kind life-size versions.

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The statues weigh approximately 1,000 lbs. and are all set to be handcrafted and permanently placed at every NASCAR-owned track. Additionally, some are to be placed at the Speedway Motorsports-owned track, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, World Wide Technology Raceway, and Pocono Raceway.

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However, this is not the first time that the King has been bestowed with an honorary statue. The Richard Petty Tribute Park in Randleman, North Carolina, stands as a permanent installation to honor the legendary Richard Petty and his wife, Lynda Petty. The centerpiece of the park is a life-sized bronze statue depicting the Petty couple embracing in the winner’s circle after one of his significant victories. The statue was meticulously crafted and cast by the international foundry, Carolina Bronze Sculpture, located in Seagrove, North Carolina. The park also has a large plaza featuring four of Richard Petty’s winning cars.

Some educational displays and exhibits offer insights into Richard Petty’s racing journey. Informative markers and plaques detailing significant milestones in Richard Petty’s career can be found throughout the park.

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Additionally, a Legacy Wall in the park stands to showcase photographs, memorabilia, and heartfelt messages from fans. The park also holds a Petty Family Pavilion that provides sheltered seating while reminding visitors of the Petty family’s history. The Petty family’s contribution to NASCAR is thus widely acknowledged by followers of the sport.