RANDLEMAN, N.C. — The Petty Museum is a true Tar Heel Treasure. It spotlights The King, Richard Petty, a true NASCAR hero.
In honor of his skill on the track, the Petty family opened the museum in 1988 and welcomes fans from all over the world.
For the Petty family, racing is a lifestyle. Richard Petty found his love for racing and now it’s turned into a way to remember his legacy through the Petty Museum and Garage.
What You Need To Know
- Richard Petty is considered The King of NASCAR
- There are at least three generations of Pettys that have become accomplished racecar drivers
- The Petty family is from Randleman, N.C. where there is now a museum showcasing their work
- The Petty Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
His daughter Rebecca Moffitt has put a lot of work into the space.
“We're very proud of the legacy,” Moffitt said. “And the history that we have here and what our family's done in the sport and still continues to do for the sport.”
Although Richard Petty is one of the most famous NASCAR racers in the world, he wasn’t the only person in the family to win some championships.
“Well, that's why we call it the Petty Museum,” Moffitt said. “Because we want people to know that it's not just Richard Petty. I mean, it takes a village, you know? So he had to have a brother. He had to have a cousin. His father started it, you know, so it took the whole family.”
Moffitt says she’s been involved since she was a kid—following her dad around the country to watch his races.
“Growing up, we traveled,” Moffitt said. “We traveled with our father on weekends. We traveled wherever he was racing.”
Richard Petty’s father started the tradition, and now, after four generations, the racing legacy still lives on. Moffitt says the museum honors each one of her family members. Even though some of them have retired from racing, there’s still a lot of work that goes on at the Petty Garage.
“The whole facility really is still functioning as it was when we raced out of it for almost 75 years,” Greg Steadman said. “Now as it's grown, we work on more than just race cars.”
Steadman is the Chief Operating Officer at Petty Garage. He has loved cars since he was 10 years old and has worked with the Petty family since 1995. The garage offers restorations and modifications for race cars or personal vehicles.
“It's just a different extension than it is for the competitive racing itself,” Steadman said. “It’s still competitive. Everybody wants their stuff to look better than the next guy's, right?”
No matter where you look on the Petty campus, you’ll see the passion and care that goes into their work. Moffit says she is proud to help the legacy live on.
The Petty Museum is in Randleman, N.C. and is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are car shows and other events at the Petty campus almost once a month. You can find their schedule on their website.