The yearlong celebration of the Petty Family’s 75th anniversary in NASCAR comes to Dover Motor Speedway this spring with multiple opportunities for fans to see and personally meet NASCAR legends Richard Petty, Dale Inman and Jimmie Johnson, the Monster Mile’s all-time leader in victories.
LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (LEGACY M.C.), co-owned by Johnson, is partnering with NASCAR tracks across the country to produce one-of-a-kind sculptures featuring “The King’s” famous cowboy hat. Richard serves as LEGACY M.C.’s Club Ambassador.
The design of each hat is unique to each facility and honors Petty’s family racing legacy, which began when Richard’s father Lee entered the June 1949 race in Charlotte – the first event sanctioned by NASCAR.
“It’s always special to be recognized and this does take it to the very top,” Petty said. “This is really for the fans to enjoy something unique to our family, our history, and our contributions to the tracks and NASCAR. It took a lot of people, time, and effort to make this happen and our family is honored by that.”
Richard made an early mark at the Monster Mile in 1969, winning Dover’s inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race, the Mason-Dixon 300, by six laps, an event he later called “NASCAR’s invasion of the North.” Richard won seven NASCAR Cup Series races at Dover, with the last coming in 1984 for his 199th career victory.
Inman was Richard’s crew chief for three decades, 198 race wins and seven NASCAR Cup Series titles. Inman earned his eighth title with Terry Labonte in 1984 and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012.
Richard’s son Kyle’s last NASCAR Cup Series victory came in the Monster Mile’s debut weekend with a concrete surface in 1995 while Kyle’s son Adam made two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Dover in 1999.
Meanwhile, 11-time Monster Mile winner Jimmie Johnson will make his first Dover Motor Speedway Cup Series start since 2020 in the Würth 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, April 28 (2 p.m., FS1).
The newly inducted NASCAR Hall-of-Famer and seven-time NASCAR champion is driving the No. 84 Toyota part-time for LEGACY M.C. this season.
Johnson's 83rd and final Cup Series victory to date came at Dover in the AAA 400 Drive for Autism on June 4, 2017.
“Across more than half a century of action, Richard Petty, his crew chief Dale Inman and Jimmie Johnson are some of the Monster Mile’s top performers,” said Mike Tatoian, Dover Motor Speedway’s president and general manager. “We are thrilled that these racing legends will be at Dover this spring and hope our fans take advantage of these unique opportunities to see these Hall of Famers and honor the Petty family’s NASCAR legacy.”
See below for more details on the April 26-28 Petty 75 weekend events and offers:
SUNDAY, APRIL 28
LEGACY MOTOR CLUB FAN SUITE: A limited-capacity suite for 48 fans honoring one of NASCAR’s cornerstone families for their 75th Anniversary season. Includes the following amenities:
- Meet & greets with Petty, Johnson and Inman.
- Petty and Inman: NASCAR Hall of Famers who won 188 races and seven championships together as a driver and crew chief, respectively.
- Johnson: Driver of the No. 84 Dollar Tree / Family Dollar Toyota for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.
- Includes the opportunity for a selfie with Petty, Inman and Johnson and an autograph from each.
- Special limited-edition, numbered hat with the Dover Motor Speedway logo
- Pre-Race Track Pass access, including an exclusive viewing area on the frontstretch for pre-race driver introductions.
- Hot, catered lunch and open bar.
- VIP parking outside Turn 4.
- A portion of the proceeds benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp and Speedway Children’s Charities, Dover Motor Speedway chapter.
- For more information, visit https://www.dovermotorspeedway.com/events/wurth-400/premium/.
ALL WEEKEND
“THE KING’S HAT”: The six-foot tall, 1,000-pound fiberglass and concrete statue, to be placed near the Monster Monument, features a collection of photos of Richard and Kyle at Dover, including from Richard’s 199th career NASCAR Cup Series victory in May 1984.
The hats are hand-crafted by TivoliToo, Inc., the same company that designed and built the Charles Schulz Peanuts® character tribute in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.
Fans are encouraged to use #PETTY75 when they visit Dover’s statue and post photos socially. Visit www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com for more information.
SUNDAY, APRIL 28
MONSTER MONUMENT APPEARANCES: Johnson, Petty and Inman are scheduled to appear at the famous 46-foot Monster Monument at Victory Plaza.
- Johnson, 11:45 a.m.
- Petty and Inman, Noon
