Nascar is one of the most popular forms of motorsports here in the US. Founded in 1948, about 72 years ago, there is a lot of heritage in the sport. Whether you root for a driver or just love the action of watching cars on the race track, chances are you know of one very talented driver, Richard Petty. Richard Petty was one of two drivers to have seven Nascar series championship wins in his career, and today marks the date of his record-setting seventh win.

Setting a new record

The average driver might not understand the physical stress of driving a race car. While other sports like football and hockey might seem more strenuous, racing is just as exhausting and dangerous of a sport. In his career, Petty drove from 1958 to 1992 in what is now called the Nascar Cup series. He was the first driver to ever win the series cup a total of seven times, but that is just the tip of the iceberg for his incredibly successful career.

An icon in Nascar racing

Richard Petty took the Nascar world by storm and set the record with seven series championship wins, but he was known for much more in the sport. Over his career, spanning an impressive five decades, he proved to be a formidable component. Under his belt, Petty has 200 wins, and he has ranked in the top ten for a total of 712 races. He also received numerous awards and accolades over the span of his career.

Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson

Richard Petty set the stage for one of the biggest accomplishments in Nascar history. As the first driver to ever win seven total series championships, there have only been two other drivers after him to achieve such a feat. Those drivers are just as well known, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson.

Richard Petty is a racing legend and icon for many fans and Nascar enthusiasts. Today, we remember him for his successful career, and on this day all of those years ago, when he became the first of an exclusive group of drivers to ever win seven series championships.