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Richard Petty

Chronology

1937	Born July 2 in Level Cross, North Carolina to Lee and Elizabeth Petty
1949	Becomes Lee Petty's crew chief at age twelve
1958	Drives in his first NASCAR event
1959	Wins his first NASCAR race at Columbia Speedway
1960	Richard, Maurice, and Lee Petty race in the same event for the first and only time
1965	Pettys and Chrysler boycott NASCAR for part of the season when it bans their hemi-engine; Richard wins a national drag racing event
1967	Passes his father, Lee, for most career wins
1967	Wins ten consecutive races and 27 for the season
1970	Helps develop window net for stock cars after nearly losing his life in crash in race at Darlington, South Carolina
1973-74	Wins Daytona 500 two years in a row
1983	Celebrates 25 years in professional racing
1984	Wins 200th and final career race at Firecracker 400 at Daytona
1986	Makes 1000th career start
1988	Nearly loses his life in crash at Daytona 500
1991	Announces retirement
1992	Makes Fan Appreciation Tour
1995	Makes debut as color commentator on televised racing events
1999	Petty Enterprises celebrates 50th anniversary