“I've won races and couldn't sleep”: When Richard Petty reflected on holding himself accountable after every NASCAR performance

Richard Petty, who is regarded as one of the legendary NASCAR drivers had set his standards high for himself. During his career he never stopped striving for improvement despite achieving everything on the racetrack. Petty once reflected on the importance of self-reflection and personal accountability after every NASCAR race, regardless of the results.

Richard Petty, a second-generation NASCAR driver, is regarded as one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history, with seven NASCAR Cup Series championships and 200 Cup Series wins, nearly double the number of wins of his closest competitor, David Pearson, in the all-time winners ranking.

In an interview with USA Today in 2014, Richard Petty revealed that after a bad day at the track, he hadn't shared things with anyone; instead, he kept analyzing his own performance. For Petty, a win doesn’t always equate to fulfillment, as he revealed he couldn’t sleep sometimes despite winning races because he knew that he didn't perform to his full potential.

“I've won races and went home and couldn't sleep because I knew I didn't do a good job. And I've run fifth or 10th in a race and would go home and sleep like a baby because I knew — in my mind, anyway — nobody could have done a better job than what I did. So all my thoughts were inward — not to blame somebody else, or circumstances or whatever. It was, "What could I have done to make it better?” Petty said.

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Richard Petty named which sport he likes the most after racing

Seven-time Daytona 500 winner recently revealed a sport that he enjoys in his downtime other than racing.

Last year in December speaking to his former legendary crew chief Dale Inman revealed his interest outside racing. He currently enjoys watching college football and professional football.

NASCAR legend Petty said:

“You know, me, as I get older and stuff, I've always really liked football. I've always really liked football: college football, professional football. I've never been that big on baseball or basketball. I might like to watch the championship games, but during the season,” NASCAR legend Petty said.

The 89-year-old Richard Petty is currently involved in the sport as a team ambassador of Legacy Motor Club (LMC) in the Cup Series and owner of Petty's Garage in Level Cross, North Carolina. Petty was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010. He was also awarded the Medal of Freedom Award by President George Bush after retiring from driving in 1992.