MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Over 40 members of the Petty family, including the “King” himself Richard Petty, are set to give the command ahead of the second-to-last race of the NASCAR Cup Series season at Martinsville Speedway, calling for drivers to start their engines before the Xfinity 500 on Sunday, Nov. 3.
Three Xfinity Rewards members will also help serve as Grand Marshals and Honorary Starter for the race.
“Martinsville Speedway and NASCAR have a long history together that’s lasted since the early days of the sport, and the Petty family is a large part of that history,” said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. “Between the remarkable wins the family has captured here and their ties to the community, having grown up just an hour away from the track, the Petty family legacy is strong at Martinsville Speedway. We’re honored to have so many of them join us for Sunday’s race.”
2024 marks 75 years of the Petty family in NASCAR, a legacy that began with Hall of Famer Lee Petty, passed down to his sons Richard and Maurice, then on to their sons Kyle, Ritchie, Timmy and Mark. The Petty family makes up four generations NASCAR Cup Series drivers, the first four generation family in sports. The Pettys have been celebrated across every track at which NASCAR has raced so far this season, honoring 75 years of history.
The Pettys have a longstanding legacy at Martinsville Speedway. In 1949, Lee Petty raced in – and won – his very first NASCAR race at the historic short track kickstarting their story. A decade later, Lee’s son Richard earned his first of many wins at Martinsville Speedway. Richard Petty currently holds the record for most wins at Martinsville Speedway at 15, with his first three wins taking place in the years before the coveted Grandfather Clock tradition began. The King has 12 Grandfather Clock trophies to represent his legendary status at the famed short track.
Earlier this year, Martinsville Speedway joined all other tracks on the NASCAR schedule in unveiling the King’s Hat exhibit, a statue shaped like Richard Petty’s famous cowboy hat, detailing the history of the Pettys at Martinsville and across NASCAR.