How Richard Petty’s Defining Role in the Movie ‘Cars’ Added to His Rich Public Legacy

Richard Petty seldom needs an introduction in motorsports. A seven-time Cup Series champion and arguably the greatest driver in the history of stock car racing, he has taken several steps away from the racetrack to expand his fame and popularity among a broader audience. Few of those ventures, however, were as impactful as his role in the Hollywood blockbuster Cars.

Petty lent his voice to the role of Strip “The King” Weathers in the movie and became a giant hit among young people. In a 2024 interview, he recounted how he secured the opportunity and how his wife, Linda, also landed a voice role in the movie.

Petty had received a call from California one fine day from the production house asking him if he would be interested in playing an animated movie role. Intrigued, he took the trip to the studio along with his wife.

As Petty was brought into a recording studio and asked to deliver his lines, Linda was also approached by the filmmakers and asked if she would like to voice a role as well. He said, “Linda was talking to the boy who was running the show, and he asked her, ‘How would you like to be in the movie?'”

Linda agreed to the proposal and chose to play the role of a 1969 Ford station wagon. Her choice reflected the station wagon the couple had purchased after going through a difficult period financially. The rest of the recording went smoothly, and the Pettys returned a few weeks later to complete their part in the film.

He continued, “I think there are people from one year old to 20 years old… They don’t know Richard Petty, but they know the King.”

Other movies and TV shows has Petty appeared in

Petty was featured in the Modern HotRodz show in 2011. He made an appearance as himself in the movie Swing Vote, driving his famous No. 43 car. His character did not return in Cars 2, but it did return in Cars 3. He also appeared in Tom Cruise’s Days of Thunder and Burker Reynolds’ Stroker Ace.

There are several other movies, from Speedzone to Speedway, in which Petty has played himself or a different role. They have all accumulated and created a solid image that he fully deserves. Hopefully, the legend will continue to make more such appearances in the future and keep the memory of his greatness fresh.