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Lee Petty
Duane Cross
Petty. The mere mention of the name conjures visions of Victory Lane celebrations. And while today's fans may associate the name with a team owner or maybe even a TV personality, the name was brought to prominence by Lee Petty.
He was NASCAR's first three-time champion (1954, '58 and '59) and held that distinction until David Pearson tied the mark a decade later. (Richard Petty eventually surpassed both drivers; he won his fourth of seven Cup Series titles in 1972.)
From 1949-60, Petty had 53 victories, 227 top-five finishes and 327 top-10s in 418 starts with an average finish of 7.5 -- all tops in the series -- and he also won the inaugural Daytona 500 on Feb. 22, 1959. Petty finished in the top five in points 11 times during that 12-year stretch; he finished sixth in 1960.
As NASCAR prepares to induct its first class it should remember that a solid foundation is a must. To that end, Petty was an integral part of what the sport has become. And while Richard and Kyle -- and even Adam, when considering the Victory Junction Gang Camp -- may be more widely recognized, the family patriarch should be the first Petty to be enshrined into the Hall for which he helped build the foundation.
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