Legendary, Richard Petty might have boasted 201 wins rather than his unmatched 200 wins, if not for a victory that eluded him just shy of his 22nd birthday during his second part-time season in NASCAR’s Grand National Series. Intriguingly, it was his own father, Lee Petty, who derailed his win.
Advertisement
The drama unfolded at the Lakewood Speedway’s dirt oval in Atlanta during a 150-lap event in June 1959. Richard, piloting his convertible Olds, crossed the finish line first, ostensibly clinching his debut victory. However, his win was short-lived as his father, Lee, challenged the race’s official scoring, bolstered by the notes of his wife, Elizabeth, on her scorecard.
The protest lodged by Lee Petty following the 1959 Lakewood Speedway race was, indeed, justified. After about an hour of deliberation, NASCAR’s scorer Johnny Bruner verified that Lee was the first to complete all 150 laps, confirming Lee’s superior track performance.
As a result, the victory — Lee’s 41st in what would become a total of 54 career Grand National wins — was rightfully his, and Richard was relegated to second place.
Yet, redemption was just around the corner for Richard. In 1960, during his first full-time season in what is now known as the NASCAR Cup Series, he captured his elusive first victory. The win came at the Southern States Fairgrounds, a half-mile dirt track in Charlotte, during the season’s sixth race in February.
Father and son’s comments on the controversial race at Atlanta
In an interaction with broadcaster Barney Hall, Richard reflected on the race in Atlanta, recounting, “We go racing all day. The place was really dirty and dusty. They flagged me as the winner. I had never won a race…”
“Then somebody came up to me and said there was a protest of the race. I said, ‘What’d I do wrong?’ They said someone said they had run more laps than I did. I turned around and it was my dad.”
The day following the race, Lee Petty’s side of the story made headlines in The Atlanta Constitution, aptly titled ‘Father Knows Best.’
He asserted, “I won the race. I lapped Richard twice when he was in the pits. He’s my boy and I’d love for him to win a race, but he’ll have to earn it. This wouldn’t be the right way for him to get his first victory.”
Lee, always pragmatic about victories, might have had additional motivations beyond familial ties. He was piloting a 1959 Plymouth, which qualified for an extra $200 from NASCAR for a victory in the then-current model car — over the older 1957 Olds convertible Richard drove. That could also have influenced his decision, considering the winner’s total purse was $2,200 then.
