Thinking of Adam Petty today pic.twitter.com/xHDPBb7Q5Q

— nascarman (@nascarman_rr) May 12, 2025

Adam was a prodigy. He won his first-ever ARCA race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, and the heart of the sport embraced the lineage of the sport’s winningest driver. Adam said after the win, “This means more to me than anything… This is my dream. It’s been my dream since a little kid to come here and race. Come anywhere and race where my dad’s raced before… I feel like crying, this is awesome.” He wasn’t entitled to his past. He was a hard-working driver who wanted to prove he could hang with the best. Adam Petty proved his worth at Charlotte, and just the very next year, he made his full-time Xfinity Series debut.

In his first Xfinity race as a full-time driver for Petty Enterprises, Adam finished sixth at Daytona, a remarkable achievement for a young driver. He went on to have a mixed bag of results, but four top-10 finishes, including three top-5, proved that he belonged at the highest level. The racing world was bracing itself for Adam’s move up to the Cup, and by 2000, he made his Cup Series debut as a part-time entry at Texas Motor Speedway.

Ahead of his Cup debut, Adam remained humble, wanting to learn from the elites of the sport as he stepped into the highest level of stock car racing. Adam said, “The only thing I wanna do is go out there and earn those guys’ respect. Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, people like that… And stay out of their way if I can!” It’s clear that he was brought up in a family that knew it was all about respecting the greats who came before you, and Adam was prepared to do just that. He started 33rd in Texas and finished 40th, but the experience is what mattered. However, as he returned to the Xfinity Series after this, he would soon face the worst.

On May 12, 2000, tragedy struck during a practice session at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Adam’s throttle stuck, sending his car crashing into the outer wall at full speed, a heartbreaking accident that took his life. “It could happen when you’re walking down the street,” Richard Petty said in an interview with the Associated Press. “Adam’s death just happened to come up in a race car. When things are supposed to happen, they happen.” The loss crushed the Petty family and NASCAR, stealing a rising star just as he was starting to shine. 

Victory Junction: Keeping Adam’s legacy alive

In October 2000, the Petty family worked with Paul Newman to create the Victory Junction Camp in North Carolina. The goal of the camp was to enrich the lives of children with chronic illnesses, a passion that burned deep in Adam Petty. Between races, Adam would often visit pediatric hospitals and always wanted to do something for the betterment of the lives of children who were struggling. While he was never there to see it himself, the Petty family has more than made his dreams a reality.

In 1999, Adam and his father, Kyle, visited Florida’s Camp Boggy Creek during a motorcycle ride, and Adam started saving money for the day he would start a camp of his own. His tragic death did not allow him to witness this reality, but in 2004, Victory Junction officially opened its gates. The camp has impacted the lives of over 100,000 children, a testament to the Petty family’s dedication and the power of Adam’s shared goal.

“We see Adam every time we see a happy kid, and it makes us feel good too,” said Richard Petty, as per the Camp’s official website, citing Adam as its inspiration. Kyle Petty has also said, “When you see these kids leave with a smile on their face, that’s a little bit of Adam smiling with each one of them.” The camp might be owned and funded by the Petty family, but every landmark is a reminder of Adam’s vision.

In 2025, Victory Junction just keeps getting bigger. They host ‘Kyle Petty’s Charity Ride Across America,’ where people travel 1400 miles from Michigan to Virginia on motorbikes. It’s an annual tradition that preceded Victory Junction Camp, but now is used to raise funds for the charity, and they do an amazing job at that.

Adam Petty’s legacy will live on forever. Be it in the short moments of triumph that he celebrated with his heart full of gratitude. Or by his loving family, who carry on his legacy like he never left.