DOVER, Del.- As NASCAR racing returns to Dover Motor Speedway this April 26-28, a special celebration is underway to honor racing icon Richard Petty, also known as “The King.” This event coincides with the Petty Family's 75 anniversary in NASCAR, a milestone that traces back to the sport's early days.
Throughout the race weekend, fans will have the opportunity to gather around the newly installed “King’s Hat” monument, a six-foot tall statue featuring a collection of memorable photos of Richard Petty and his son Kyle at Dover. Positioned near the iconic Monster Monument, the statue, weighing 1,000 pounds is crafted from fiberglass and concrete.
The statue is part of a series created by Legacy Motor Club, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson. Each unique hat sculpture is placed at various NASCAR tracks.
Richard Petty, serving as Club Ambassador for Legacy M.C., expressed his gratitude for the tribute, saying, “This is really for the fans to enjoy something unique to our family, our history, and our contributions to the tracks and NASCAR.”
Petty won the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at the Monster Mile in 1969 and secured a total of seven wins at Dover, including his 199 career victory in 1984. His longtime crew chief Dale Inman, who guided Petty to seven NASCAR Cup Series titles, will also be present during the weekend's festivities.
Also Jimmie Johnson, who boasts 11 Monster Mile victories, is set to make his first Dover Motor Speedway Cup Series start since 2020 in the Würth 400. Johnson's career includes 83 Cup Series victories, with his last win occurring at Dover in 2017.
Dover Motor Speedway President and General Manager Mike Tatoian remarked on the significance of Petty's legacy.
“You can’t talk about the story of Dover Motor Speedway without mentioning Richard Petty and his family’s contributions. We are honored that 'The King' is part of our free, fun festivities surrounding our NASCAR weekend and look forward to seeing his legion of fans honor his achievements.”
The race weekend schedule is packed, featuring the General Tire 150 ARCA Menards Series race on Friday, the BetRivers 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series Dash 4 Cash race on Saturday, and culminating with the Würth 400 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday.