How Richard Petty’s First Career NASCAR Win Came Thanks to Dad Lee (and Rex

• Richard Petty made four starts in 1960 before the first of his 200 official victories.
• And just as Lee had played a role at Lakewood, in what was nearly Richard’s first win, he was also involved when his son officially won.
• So was Rex White.

Just 21 and still learning on the job, Richard Petty was understandably overjoyed when he took what he thought was the first checkered flag of his NASCAR Cup Series career. This was in June of 1959 in a 150-lap race on the 1-mile dirt at Lakewood Speedway near Atlanta.

The future king of stock car racing didn’t get to enjoy the “first victory” moment for long. Officials quickly told him the second-place finisher had protested the scoring, claiming it was reversed. The man protesting the scoring: future three-time champion and Hall of Fame driver Lee Petty, father of the apparent winner.

After a review of the scorecards, officials decided Lee was right and flip-flopped the official finish. It happened like this:

Lakewood was a “Sweepstakes” race for convertibles and sedans. Richard drove a 1959 Oldsmobile convertible and Lee drove a 1959 Plymouth sedan. The purse paid an extra $250 if the winner was in a convertible and an extra $450 if the winner drove a current year-model sedan.

Safety inspectors today would have a field day when looking at Richard Petty’s convertable he raced in 1959.

Ever the businessman, Lee realized Petty Enterprises would earn $200 more since he drove a current year-model sedan. For a family-owned company on a budget, that was big money. “Second was the best I’d ever run, so I was tickled,” Richard said years later. “Daddy explained that we’d make more money if he won and we needed every bit we could get. It didn’t matter that much to me. I knew that at some point that extra money might help me finally win. I think the scorers got it right.”

The next day, in the Atlanta Constitution, a sportswriter quoted Lee as saying, “Either way, we’re 1-2 … and I won. He’s my boy and I’d love to see him win, but when he does, I want him to earn it. I would have protested my mother if I’d needed to.”

Richard made 21 starts that season with six top-5 finishes, nine top-10 finishes, 15th in points, and Rookie of the Year.

There is more than one version of the role Rex White played to help Richard Petty to Petty’s first NASCAR Cup Series win in 1960.

Rex White’s Role in Richard’s First Win

Richard Petty made four starts in 1960 before the first of his 200 official victories. And just as Lee had played a role at Lakewood, he was also involved when his son officially won.

It came on Feb. 28, 1960 in a 100-mile race on the half-mile dirt Charlotte Fairgrounds. Richard qualified seventh in his No. 43 Plymouth and ran, staying near the front. With 18 laps remaining, front-runner Rex White hit a Turn 1 pothole and lost his intended line. That allowed second-running Richard to pass and lead the rest of the way.

It looked…