“First lady of NASCAR”: Richard Petty wishes wife Lynda on her birthday

NASCAR legend Richard Petty remembered his late wife Lynda Owens for her birthday on March 6. The couple got married in 1959 when she was just 17. They had been high school sweethearts and went on to have four children: Kyle, Sharon, Lisa and Rebecca.

The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, 87, shared a tweet and wished Lynda for what would have been her 83rd birthday.

"Happy birthday to the First lady of NASCAR," Petty wrote.

Richard Petty spoke about his life with Lynda during a 2016 interview with Graham Besinger and said (02:45 onwards):

"She took care of the house, she took care of the bills, she did all of that kind of thing. I went out and did my racing and did my job, and then it was like I told people—three lives. She lived the life, I lived the life, and we lived the life together. So we were married 55 years, but we probably lived together 25."

Lynda was diagnosed with cancer in 2010 and fought hard for several years before passing away on March 25, 2014, at her home in North Carolina at the age of 72.

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"This calm comes over me because he's home" - Richard Petty's wife Lynda on her husband's comforting presence

Richard Petty and his wife Lynda were married for 55 years. Petty competed in NASCAR between the 1950s and 1990s with his father’s team and won 200 Cup races, including seven Daytona 500s. Lynda was his biggest supporter and was always by his side.

"I make mountains out of molehills a lot of times, and he's like this real calming device in my life. No matter how bad the day is going, when he walks through the door in the afternoon, it's just like this calm comes over me because he's home, and I know everything's okay," Lynda Petty said (via Queen City News).

After Lynda's passing, Richard Petty remembered her during an interview in 2014 and said:

"I lived with her for 55 years, and that's a big, big hole that'll never be filled. So I'll have to do something else to try to fill in a little bit somewhere down the line."

Richard's father, Lee Petty, his son Kyle and late grandson Adam also raced in the NASCAR Cup Series. When the Pettys started a SeriousFun Children's Network camp, Richard Petty and Lynda gave land in their hometown of Level Cross in North Carolina. The Victory Junction was started after their grandson, Adam passed away in an accident on the racetrack in the early 2000s.

Adam inspired the idea by Kyle Petty to start a camp for sick children in 2004. Kyle also raises money for it through a yearly charity ride.