My Racing Shoes

Richard Petty's

Petty was born in Level Cross, North Carolina, the son of Elizabeth and Lee Arnold Petty, also a NASCAR driver. He began his NASCAR career on July 18, 1958, 16 days after his 21st birthday. His first race was at the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds in Toronto, Canada, and he finished 17th having completed 55 of 100 laps in an Oldsmobile. In 1959, Richard was named NASCAR Rookie of the Year, after he produced 9 top 10 finishes, including six Top 5 finishes.