• Three wins, decades of excellence: Richard Petty earned three NASCAR Cup Series victories at Bristol Motor Speedway, including a sweep of both Bristol races in 1975.

  • A record 60 starts: Petty made more Cup starts at Bristol than any other driver. That longevity put the famous No. 43 in the middle of Bristol history across multiple eras.

  • Nearly 24,000 laps around Thunder Valley: He completed a track-record 23,815 laps at Bristol. On a demanding 0.533-mile oval, that total speaks to remarkable durability and focus.

  • The top-10 standard: Petty recorded 37 top-10 finishes at Bristol, another track record. In other words, he finished among the leaders in well over half of his starts.

  • Always in contention: His 26 top-five finishes are tied for the most in Bristol Cup history. Even when Victory Lane proved elusive, The King was rarely far from the front.

  • Super Relief: Did you know in 1969 Petty drove as a relief driver at Bristol for rival David Pearson. Petty's engine had expired in his own machine earlier in the race so Pearson, who was battling the flu, called on him for his assistance. Petty drove the car from lap 100 to lap 255 and then Pearson took back over. Thanks to help from The King, Pearson won the race, three laps ahead of second-place finisher Bobby Isaac and third place Donnie Allison.

  • The King at Thunder Valley: Richard Petty competed in the inaugural NHRA SpringNationals at Bristol Dragway in 1965 in a Hemi-powered Plymouth Barracuda named "43 Jr." Petty won his division at the NHRA event, and he is one of a few NASCAR Cup Series drivers who have also competed in NHRA competition.

  • Monumental: In March 2024, BMS unveiled a 6-foot tall concrete King's Hat Monument, which sits in front of the track's main office. The hat provides fans with a photo opportunity and celebrates the Petty family's 75th anniversary in the sport.

  • Why it matters: Bristol celebrates bold passes and unforgettable finishes, but Petty’s record adds another chapter to the track’s legacy: sustained greatness. At The Last Great Colosseum, simply surviving is difficult. Staying competitive for 60 races is the work of a legend.