Maurice Petty

Maurice Petty (March 27, 1939 – July 25, 2020) was an American NASCAR crew chief and engine builder for Petty Enterprises, of which he was part owner. He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2011. He was subsequently enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2014. He was the first engine builder to be inducted into that Hall.

Maurice Petty
Born	(1939-03-27)March 27, 1939 Level Cross, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	July 25, 2020(2020-07-25) (aged 81)
Awards	International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2011) NASCAR Hall of Fame (2014)
NASCAR Cup Series career
26 races run over 5 years
Best finish	57th (1962)
First race	1960 Race 28 (Dixie)
Last race	1964 Joe Weatherly 150 (Occoneechee)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 16 0

Early life

Petty was born in Level Cross, North Carolina, on March 27, 1939. As a child, he would follow his father, Lee Petty, to the race track. The younger Petty's mechanical skills were credited as having played an "integral part" in his father's success. Although he himself started 26 times in the NASCAR Cup Series between 1960 and 1964, he soon elected to focus on engine building.^[1]

Career

Petty Enterprises was founded by Lee Petty and his two sons. The Petty family, working together as a team, corporately won over 250 races. Maurice primarily served the organization as engine builder and crew chief. He raced for the organization in 26 competitions from 1960 to 1964. As a driver, his best finish was third place at the Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds in Spartanburg, South Carolina in 1961.^[2] In 1970, Petty was the crew chief for Pete Hamilton, who won three races for Petty Enterprises, including the 1970 Daytona 500 and both races at Talladega Superspeedway.^[3] As an engine builder, Maurice built the motors that helped his brother Richard win a record 200 victories, along with seven Cup Series championships.^[2]

In 2011, Maurice Petty was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in Talladega, Alabama, in recognition of his career as a team owner, engine builder, crew chief, and driver.^[4] Three years later, he was enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He became the first engine builder to be inducted into that Hall,^[1] as well as the fourth member from Petty Enterprises.^[5]

Personal life and Death

Petty was the younger brother of Richard Petty,^[2] who depended on his engines throughout the latter's career.^[1] He was also the uncle of Kyle Petty and Trent Owens,^[1] and the great uncle of Adam Petty.^[6] Maurice was married to Patricia for 52 years, until her death in 2014.^[1][6] Maurice had three sons: Timmy, Mark and Ritchie.^[7] Maurice Petty suffered from polio as a child, and ongoing effects of the illness resulted in him becoming less mobile, which played a role in his retirement from the Petty Enterprises team.^[8]

Petty died on the morning of July 25, 2020, at age 81. The cause of death was undisclosed.^[1][9]

Honors and awards

• 2011: International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee^[10]
• 2013: NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee^[2]
• 2014: NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2014^[2]

Motorsports career results

Source:^[11]

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series

NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58	59	60	61	62	NGNC	Pts
1960	Petty Enterprises	44	Plymouth	CLT	CLB	DAY	DAY	DAY	CLT	NWS	PHO	CLB	MAR	HCY	WIL	BGS	GPS	AWS	DAR	PIF	HBO	RCH	HMS	CLT	BGS	DAY	HEI	MAB	MBS	ATL	BIR 8	NSV	AWS	PIF	CLB	SBO	BGS	DAR	HCY	CSF	GSP	HBO	MAR	NWS	CLT																					94th	304
		42																																												RCH 9	ATL
1961		43		CLT	JSP	DAY	DAY	DAY	PIF	AWS	HMS	ATL	GPS	HBO 15																																								GPS 7												59th	–
		42													BGS 14	MAR	NWS	CLB	HCY	RCH	MAR	DAR	CLT	CLT	RSD	ASP	CLT	PIF 3	BIR	GPS 7	BGS 13	NOR	HAS	STR	DAY	ATL	CLB	MBS 18	BRI	NSV															HBO 4
		44																																							BGS 21	AWS	RCH	SBO	DAR	HCY	RCH	CSF	ATL	MAR	NWS	CLT	BRI
1962		43		CON 26	AWS	DAY	DAY	DAY	CON																																																									57th	1278
		41								AWS 4	SVH	HBO 6	RCH	CLB	NWS	GPS	MBS	MAR	BGS	BRI 19	RCH	HCY	CON 5	DAR	PIF	CLT	ATL	BGS	AUG	RCH	SBO	DAY	CLB	ASH	GPS	AUG	SVH	MBS	BRI	CHT	NSV	HUN	AWS	STR	BGS	PIF	VAL	DAR	HCY	RCH	DTS	AUG	MAR	NWS	CLT	ATL
1963		42		BIR 14	GGS 6	THS 5	RSD	DAY	DAY	DAY	PIF	AWS	HBO	ATL	HCY	BRI	AUG	RCH	GPS	SBO	BGS	MAR	NWS																																											74th	944
		43																						CLB 20	THS	DAR	ODS	RCH	CLT	BIR	ATL	DAY	MBS	SVH	DTS	BGS	ASH	OBS	BRR	BRI	GPS	NSV	CLB	AWS	PIF	BGS	ONA	DAR	HCY	RCH	MAR	DTS	NWS	THS	CLT	SBO	HBO	RSD
1964		41		CON 5	AUG	JSP DNQ						RCH 7	BRI	GPS 7	BGS	ATL	AWS 6	HBO 22	PIF	CLB	NWS	MAR	SVH	DAR	LGY	HCY	SBO	CLT	GPS	ASH	ATL	CON	NSV	CHT	BIR	VAL	PIF	DAY	ODS	OBS	BRR	ISP	GLN	LIN	BRI	NSV	MBS	AWS	DTS	ONA	CLB	BGS	STR	DAR	HCY	RCH	ODS	HBO	MAR	SVH	NWS	CLT	HAR	AUG	JAC	61st	1760
		42					SVH 4	RSD	DAY	DAY	DAY

References

1. Skretta, Dave (July 25, 2020). "Maurice Petty, Hall of Fame engine builder, dies at 81". Associated Press. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
2. "Maurice Petty". Nascar.com. March 27, 1939. Retrieved April 13, 2013.
3. . Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
4. "Patricia Petty, wife of Maurice Petty, dies". Motorsport.com. May 12, 2014. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
5. Gluck, Jeff (January 29, 2014). "Maurice Petty completes family portrait in NASCAR Hall of Fame". USA Today. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
6. Estrada, Chris (May 12, 2014). "Patricia Petty, wife of Maurice and sister-in-law of Richard, died on Sunday". NBC Sports. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
7. "Eldest son continues Maurice Petty's legacy". NASCAR. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
8. Freedman, Lew (2013). Encyclopedia of Stock Car Racing. United States: Pitstop Publishing. p. 596. ISBN 978-0313387098. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
9. Maurice Petty, NASCAR Hall of Fame engine builder, dies
10. . Archived from the original on August 12, 2013. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
11. "Maurice Petty NASCAR Statistics". NASCAR Driver Averages. Retrieved July 25, 2020.

External links

• Maurice Petty driver statistics at Racing-Reference
• Maurice Petty owner statistics at Racing-Reference
• Maurice Petty crew chief statistics at Racing-Reference