Lynda Petty: A true Southern lady
By Liz Allison, Turner Sports Interactive
August 9, 2001
3:39 PM EDT (1939 GMT)
When you think of Richard Petty, you immediately think "The King." Richard is the ultimate icon in all of NASCAR. Without question, he's one of the most famous race car drivers ever.
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Liz Allison
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However, there is a much gentler side to Richard than most will ever have the chance to see. He is a father, grandfather and a husband. It's hard to believe that Richard Petty is, yes, you said it … a husband. Can you imagine being married to the king of stock car racing?
But behind every successful man is a woman, and in Richard's case it's none other than Lynda Petty. Lynda and Richard have been married for 43 years. They met as teenagers and have been together ever since.
I gave my very first interview as a driver's wife to Neil Bonnett who was hosting a show entitled "Winners" back in the early '90s. Patti Wheeler, the daughter of Lowe's Motor Speedway President Humpy Wheeler, produced the show. She asked me after we completed taping who I most admired in racing and my answer was Lynda Petty -- hands down. Patti's response to me was "stick with her, she is the best". That seems to be the overall opinion of this quiet and gentle woman who is the wife of a legendary racer.
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Lee Petty
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Richard and Lynda met when Lynda was only 14 years old. Richard was not racing at the time, but he spent a lot of time traveling with his racer father, Lee Petty. Lynda was starting high school just as Richard was finishing. She found herself hanging around him all the time because one of her friends was dating Richards's brother.
Richard soon completed school and continued to travel with his father while Lynda continued on in high school. Their relationship turned from friends to much more as time went on.
In July of 1958, Richard started his racing career. " It was obvious from the start that Richard was totally dedicated to racing. "Racing was, and still is, his life," says Lynda Petty, who admitted that she wondered if he would ever want to settle down.
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Richard Petty
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She did not have to wait too long to find out. In the summer of 1959, Richard said, "Lets get married." They did just that and conveniently forgot to mention it to anyone --including their families. "We got married and had to come home and break the news to everyone," says Linda. Luckily, their families came around and celebrated the news but only after a bit of convincing.
Lynda was thrilled to become a wife. Her ambition in life was "to be a wife and mother." Richard and Lynda have four children, one of which is Winston Cup racer Kyle Petty. They also have 11 grandchildren. "We have 10 grandchildren on Earth and one in heaven" said Lynda, acknowledging the death of one of her grandchildren, Adam Petty, who was killed in a practice run at New Hampshire last year.
"Adam's death is the hardest thing that I have ever had to go through. I lost my brother in an accident at Talladega in 1975 and that was really hard too, but Adams death was awful."
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Adam Petty
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Adam won his first ARCA race in Charlotte and the entire Petty family was there to celebrate. This was their home track and a very popular win for the young Petty. "I will always cherish that day in Charlotte. Richard has won a lot of races over the years, but this was my most special racing moment ever."
Lynda is quite open about the changes that have come with the popularity of Winston Cup racing. She feels that the pressure of performing is more stressful than it has ever been and it's not any easier as a car owner. She said that Richard's so-called retirement in 1992, is not really like retiring. "He is still there at the track almost every weekend."
She said the only difference now is that she doesn't go every weekend like she used to. "I want to garden and be at home with the grandkids now." She looks forward to the day that Richard might not feel the need to be at every race so that they can travel and do some other things that she has always wanted to do.
Richard and Lynda Petty are about the purest of southern family people that you could ever imagine. They still live in the same town in Randleman, N.C., that they always have. "We are surrounded by family and good 'ole town people that treat us like we are just one of the them. We are no different from anybody else where we live."
Lynda collects dolls and has over 600 of them scattered throughout their house. Richard collects pocket watches, reproduced rifles and Civil War memorabilia. "Our house is a hodge-podge of junk…nothing fancy, just junk." Lynda would like to have a big museum one day to put all their "junk" in.
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Kyle Petty
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Richard and Lynda have always been quite charitable people. They have supported many different causes through the years, but none are as personal as their newest charity involvement; Richard and Lynda have donated over 60 acres to build a camp for ill children in N.C. "Victory Junction Gang Camp" is a part of the camps started by Paul Newman. This newest site for the Newman camp will be built in memory of Adam Petty.
"This is something that we as a family could do in memory of Adam that would continue to give to children. Adam loved children and this is something that every Petty will have the chance to be involved in," said Lynda, who is very excited about the plans for this special project and looks forward to the day that children will be able to come to their camp and be just like all the other kids that are healthy.
It has been many years since I first met Lynda Petty and I still marvel at her pure, sweet untainted spirit. She has experienced the definite highs and lows in this sport. She has been to Victory Lane more times that she can remember and sat behind many pit walls, after her husband couldn't complete a race.
She has seen the inside of many hospitals wondering the condition of her husband after a racing accident and she has shared the Winston Cup championship celebration with her husband standing boldly beside her.
She started in this sport when women were not even allowed at the track and now she proudly walks along side her son and husband at any track that is lucky enough to have her grace her presence at their facility.
Lynda Petty is as good as they get…no doubt. Even after all these years, if I were asked again whom I respect the most in racing, my answer would still be Lynda Petty…hands down.
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