Lee Petty
N 35° 53.234 W 079° 48.424
17S E 607671 N 3972098
Lee Petty was one of the pioneers of NASCAR and father of NASCAR Legend Richard Petty.
Waymark Code: WM66M9
Location: North Carolina, United States
Date Posted: 04/13/2009
Views: 8
Lee Petty was one of the early pioneers and legends of NASCAR,racing against such stars as “Fireball Robert, Joe Weatherly, Curtis Turner and Cotton Owens. In 1959 Lee battled Johnny Beauchamp in the very first Daytona 500. They cross the finish line side by side for a photo finish. Beauchamp was declared the unofficial winner and celebrated in victory lane, but three days later NASCAR President Bill France, Sr., decided that Lee Petty had actually won the race by about 2-feet. Lee Petty was declared the winner of the first Daytona 500. During his career he finished in the top 5 in the championship 11 times, and won the championship in 1954, 1958 and 1959. He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1990. On May 23, 2011, Lee Petty was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Description:
Lee Arnold Petty was born March 14, 1914 in Level Cross, North Carolina. He began his auto racing career in 1949 when he raced at a local speedway near Charlotte, North Carolina. During his career he won a total of 54-races including the first Daytona 500 in 1959. Lee Petty won three NASCAR Championships (1954, 1958 and 1959). His last win came in 1961 at the Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida. Lee is the patriarch of the most famous family in NASCAR as his sons Richard and Maurice following in his footsteps. Richard won 200 NASCAR, many of them with his brother Maurice and his cousin Dale Inman serving as crew chief. Lee’s Grandson Kyle and his Great Grandson Adam also followed in Lee’s racing footstep. Adam was killed in a crash at the New Hampshire Speedway on May 12, 2000. Lee Petty lived his entire life in the Level Cross Community of Randolph County, North Carolina and it was here that he and his family founded Petty Enterprises, which for over 40-years fielded the famous #43 on the NASCAR Circuit. Lee Petty died on April 5, 2000 and is buried in the Level Cross United Methodist Church Cemetery in Level Cross, North Carolina.
Date of birth: 03/14/1914
Date of death: 04/05/2000
Area of notoriety: Sports
Marker Type: Headstone
Setting: Outdoor
Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Daily during daylight hours.
Fee required?: No
Web site: [Web Link]
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