Adam Petty
Encyclopedia
Adam Kyler Petty was a professional racing driver. He was the first fourth-generation driver in NASCAR
history.
into stock car racing "royalty." The son of Kyle Petty
, he was widely expected to become the next great Petty, following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather Richard
, and great-grandfather Lee
. He was the first known fourth-generation athlete in all of modern American motor sports to participate in the chosen profession of his generations.
start, in the #45 Sprint/Spree
Pontiac
at Lowe's Motor Speedway
in that same year.
Petty drove a #45 Sprint Chevrolet
in the Busch Series
full-time in 1999 after a successful season in the Midwestern short track American Speed Association season in the #45 Spree Pontiac. He also finished sixth in his first Busch Series race at Daytona
and had a best finish of fourth place that year. However, he failed to qualify for three races, and finished 20th overall in points.
Petty Enterprises
planned to give Adam a Winston Cup ride in 2001 and to give him seven starts in Cup in 2000, along with a full Busch campaign in a car sponsored by Sprint. He struggled early in the Busch season, but managed to qualify in his first attempt at Winston Cup during the DirecTV 500 at Texas Motor Speedway
on April 2. He qualified 33rd and ran in the middle of the pack most of the day before his engine expired, forcing him to finish 40th. Lee Petty
, Adam's great-grandfather, and 3-time NASCAR Champion, lived to see his debut, but died just three days afterwards.
NASCAR Nationwide Series (then Busch Grand National Series) race when he got loose going into turn 3, over corrected and went head-on into the wall. Petty was killed instantly due to a basilar skull fracture.
Adam's death, along with 1998 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year
Kenny Irwin, Jr.
's at the same track (on July 7, 2000) led NASCAR to mandate the use of a kill switch
on the steering wheel and the adoption of the Whelen Modified Tour
restrictor plate
for the September Cup race; the plate was abandoned after that race. It was not until after the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr., under similar circumstances, that NASCAR mandated head-and-neck restraints
.
Kyle Petty
, Adam's father, who drove the #44 car at the time of the crash, drove Adam's #45 car in the Busch Series for the remainder of 2000. He then used the #45 in the Sprint Cup series throughout the rest of his driving career. For two years, Kyle did not race at Loudon. He returned in 2002, only to leave again until 2005. His final race at Loudon was in 2007.
and the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
to begin the Victory Junction Gang Camp
in Randleman, North Carolina
, as a memorial to Adam. The camp has received support from many NASCAR drivers, teams, and sponsors, including Cup Series sponsor Sprint, which has placed a replica of Adam's 1998 car in the camp. The Victory Junction Gang camp began operation in 2004, and is an official charity of NASCAR. Petty also appears as a special guest driver in the video games NASCAR 2000
, NASCAR Rumble
, NASCAR 2001
and NASCAR Arcade
.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
history.
Early life
Petty was raised in High Point, North CarolinaHigh Point, North Carolina
High Point is a city located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. As of 2010 the city had a total population of 104,371, according to the US Census Bureau. High Point is currently the eighth-largest municipality in North Carolina....
into stock car racing "royalty." The son of Kyle Petty
Kyle Petty
Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam...
, he was widely expected to become the next great Petty, following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather Richard
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
, and great-grandfather Lee
Lee Petty
Lee Arnold Petty was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR, and one of its first superstars. He was born near Randleman, North Carolina.-Career:...
. He was the first known fourth-generation athlete in all of modern American motor sports to participate in the chosen profession of his generations.
Racing career
Petty began his career in 1998, shortly after he turned 18. Like his father Kyle, he won his first ARCA RE/MAX SeriesARCA RE/MAX Series
-History:The series started as a local touring group. Led by John Marcum, the Midwest Association for Race Cars was formed with drivers like Iggy Katona and Nelson Stacy being early drivers.The series became a part of the Daytona Speedweeks in 1964...
start, in the #45 Sprint/Spree
Spree (candy)
Spree is a candy manufactured by The Willy Wonka Candy Company, a brand owned by Nestlé. Introduced in 1971, Spree is classified as a compressed dextrose candy, covered in a colored fruit-flavored shell. It is currently available in rolls. In Southwest U.S. markets and in Mexico it is available in...
Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
in that same year.
Petty drove a #45 Sprint Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
in the Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
full-time in 1999 after a successful season in the Midwestern short track American Speed Association season in the #45 Spree Pontiac. He also finished sixth in his first Busch Series race at Daytona
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
and had a best finish of fourth place that year. However, he failed to qualify for three races, and finished 20th overall in points.
Petty Enterprises
Petty Enterprises
Petty Enterprises was a NASCAR racing team based in Randleman, North Carolina, USA. The team was owned by Richard Petty, his son Kyle Petty, and Boston Ventures. At the time of its folding the team operated the #43 and #45 Dodge Chargers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Petty Enterprises ran from...
planned to give Adam a Winston Cup ride in 2001 and to give him seven starts in Cup in 2000, along with a full Busch campaign in a car sponsored by Sprint. He struggled early in the Busch season, but managed to qualify in his first attempt at Winston Cup during the DirecTV 500 at Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
on April 2. He qualified 33rd and ran in the middle of the pack most of the day before his engine expired, forcing him to finish 40th. Lee Petty
Lee Petty
Lee Arnold Petty was an American stock car driver in the 1950s and 1960s. He was one of the pioneers of NASCAR, and one of its first superstars. He was born near Randleman, North Carolina.-Career:...
, Adam's great-grandfather, and 3-time NASCAR Champion, lived to see his debut, but died just three days afterwards.
Death
On May 12, 2000 Petty was practicing for the Busch 200New England 200 (NASCAR)
The New England 200 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series race held at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire. When first held in 1990, the race was 300 laps. It was scaled back to 250 laps, the length of the former fall NHMS race, starting in 1993, and again to its current 200 laps in 1996...
NASCAR Nationwide Series (then Busch Grand National Series) race when he got loose going into turn 3, over corrected and went head-on into the wall. Petty was killed instantly due to a basilar skull fracture.
Adam's death, along with 1998 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Rookie of the Year
The NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season. Each of NASCAR's national and regional touring series selects a RotY winner each year....
Kenny Irwin, Jr.
Kenny Irwin, Jr.
Kenneth Dale Irwin, Jr. was a NASCAR stock car driver. He had driven in all three major of forms of NASCAR and had two total victories. Before that, he raced in the United States Auto Club against Tony Stewart, who was one of his fiercest rivals...
's at the same track (on July 7, 2000) led NASCAR to mandate the use of a kill switch
Kill switch
Kill switch, also called an e-stop, is a security measure used to shut off a device in an emergency situation in which it cannot be shut down in the usual manner...
on the steering wheel and the adoption of the Whelen Modified Tour
Whelen Modified Tour
The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour is a stock car racing series owned and operated by NASCAR in the Modified division. The Modified division is NASCAR's oldest division, and its one of two open-wheeled divisions...
restrictor plate
Restrictor plate
A restrictor plate or air restrictor is a device installed at the intake of an engine to limit its power. This kind of system is occasionally used in road vehicles for insurance purposes, but mainly in automobile racing, to limit top speed and thus increase safety, to provide equal level of...
for the September Cup race; the plate was abandoned after that race. It was not until after the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr., under similar circumstances, that NASCAR mandated head-and-neck restraints
HANS device
The HANS device is a safety item compulsory in many car racing sports...
.
Kyle Petty
Kyle Petty
Kyle Eugene Petty is a former American NASCAR driver and is currently a co-host for NASCAR RaceDay and panel member for NASCAR Smarts which are both on SPEED. He also commentates for TNT in the summer. He is the son of racer Richard Petty, grandson of racer Lee Petty, and father of the late Adam...
, Adam's father, who drove the #44 car at the time of the crash, drove Adam's #45 car in the Busch Series for the remainder of 2000. He then used the #45 in the Sprint Cup series throughout the rest of his driving career. For two years, Kyle did not race at Loudon. He returned in 2002, only to leave again until 2005. His final race at Loudon was in 2007.
Legacy
In October 2000 five months after Adam's death, his family partnered with Paul NewmanPaul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
and the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Connecticut is a non-profit, residential summer camp and year-round center serving children and their families coping with cancer and other serious illnesses and conditions.-History:...
to begin the Victory Junction Gang Camp
Victory Junction Gang Camp
The Victory Junction Gang Camp is a camp for terminally ill, and chronically ill children located in Randleman, North Carolina, USA. It is part of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps.- Mission :MISSION STATEMENT:...
in Randleman, North Carolina
Randleman, North Carolina
Randleman is a city in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,557 at the 2000 census. It is the home of NASCAR's Petty family, the Richard Petty Museum, and the Victory Junction Gang Camp.-Geography:...
, as a memorial to Adam. The camp has received support from many NASCAR drivers, teams, and sponsors, including Cup Series sponsor Sprint, which has placed a replica of Adam's 1998 car in the camp. The Victory Junction Gang camp began operation in 2004, and is an official charity of NASCAR. Petty also appears as a special guest driver in the video games NASCAR 2000
NASCAR 2000
For the 2000 NASCAR Season bearing the same name, see 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series.NASCAR 2000 is a racing simulator video game developed and published by EA Sports and co-developed by Stormfront Studios. The game was released on September 15, 1999 for the Nintendo 64, November 30, 1999 for the...
, NASCAR Rumble
NASCAR Rumble
NASCAR Rumble is a racing game by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation. The player or players can race through 18 different courses set in six different areas collecting powerups to aid them...
, NASCAR 2001
NASCAR 2001
NASCAR 2001 is a racing simulator video game developed and published by EA Sports. The game was released on September 19, 2000 for the PlayStation, and became the first from EA Sports' NASCAR series to be released for the PlayStation 2 on November 7, 2000. The game was not released to the Xbox...
and NASCAR Arcade
NASCAR Arcade
NASCAR Arcade is a racing video game that was released in 2000 for the arcade....
.