“Just Another Day”: Why New Year’s Day Was Never a Big Deal for Richard Petty and the Petty Family

Richard Petty, who hung up his racing helmet in 1992, remains at the pinnacle of NASCAR’s all-time win list with 200 victories even after 32 years. But achieving this feat meant considerable personal sacrifices: he often skipped celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and even New Year’s festivities.

In a recent video, Petty shared that Christmas has always been a focal point for family gatherings, given it was one of the few times the entire Petty clan could come together, as their packed schedules seldom allowed for shared celebrations of personal milestones. Discussing New Year’s, which comes just five days after Christmas, Petty remarked that for him, it was merely another day.

He elaborated on his racing-focused mindset, saying, “From the time the season was over sometime in November everything was set for Daytona. And we had a Blackboard on the wall we counted down the days that we had to be ready either to go test or go for the race.”

He even mentioned his indifference toward New Year’s resolutions, highlighting his singular dedication to racing. “I never thought about making New Year’s resolutions. I guess the people that make them I guess they wanting something you know what I mean so all we want to do is get ready and go to Daytona,” Petty stated.

Besides that, Richard had a unique perspective on New Year’s superstitions. Unlike many who embrace rituals hoping to ensure a prosperous year, Petty didn’t subscribe to such beliefs. “We never had any superstitions. New Year’s was just another day. You went from one number to another number and you never really thought that much about it,” he remarked.

Petty’s life revolved around racing, season after season. Even after retiring from driving, he poured his energies into team ownership at Petty Enterprises, where he served as the operating owner until his son, Kyle Petty, assumed day-to-day responsibilities.

However, the shift in leadership didn’t guarantee stability, as Kyle was released from Petty Enterprises in 2008 due to sponsorship challenges, leading to the sale of the company to Gillett-Evernham Motorsports.

Beyond his roles in racing and team management, Petty also ventured into broadcasting in 1995, bringing his insights to a broader audience as a color commentator for CBS.

To this day, the Petty legacy continues to resonate within NASCAR, with the entire family maintaining some level of involvement in the sport, ensuring the Petty name remains synonymous with NASCAR excellence.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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