“Miss My Mom So Much”: Kyle Petty’s Tear-Jerking Post on Christmas Moves NASCAR Faithful

When Lee Petty rode his Buick to the Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1949 for his first NASCAR race little would he have imagined that he would end up being the patriarch of a 40+ strong family with multiple racing superstars. Just like the rest of the world, the Pettys recently celebrated Christmas together and Kyle Petty couldn’t be happier with his lot. But one person that he missed at the gathering was his mother, Lynda.

Kyle shared a picture of his family on social media and expressed his joy at being under one roof with all of his kin. Though his father, Richard Petty, shouldered his day he couldn’t help missing his mother. He wrote, “…Every person makes an effort to be there and no one is happier than my dad. Makes me miss my mom so much. I know she’s watching and smiling!”

Lynda Petty passed away in 2014, aged 72, succumbing to her fight against spinal cancer. She was vital in the careers of both Richard and Kyle. These words from 1990 echo the love that she had for her son: “I probably worry more about Kyle than I did about Richard. You bring a child into the world and you take on that responsibility. A mother never loses that feeling.”

Celebrated by many as the ‘First Lady of NASCAR’, Lynda was a much-loved figure on racing tracks. Even almost a decade after we lost her fans still continue remembering her in their love for the Petty family.

Fans wish Kyle Petty and extend their support for him

Stories of Lynda’s compassion have inspired NASCAR for decades now. Revealing a tradition during their rise to the top, Richard once talked about how she would feed their children and his pit crew from the back of a 1960 Chrysler that was parked in the infield as he drove his contenders to hell on the track. Perhaps it is these tales that make NASCAR love the Pettys so much.

Beginning from Lee Petty to Thad Moffitt, the Petty family has given NASCAR great drivers and better people. The reaction to a happier moment from them underlines the affection that fans have returned them with. As for Lynda, she will continue to live on through her son, daughters, and family.