Millionaire Richard Petty joins Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR driver for ‘Wine tasting fundraiser & dinner’

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty recently attended an event for Legacy Motor Club driver Erik Jones. It was described as an evening "full of great wine, great food, and great fellowship." Jones' foundation page shared images on Instagram, expressing gratitude to Petty for attending the event.

Petty debuted in the Cup Series in 1958 with Petty Enterprises, driving an Oldsmobile for two seasons. After spending six years in the series, he won his first Cup Series Championship title in 1964. He then won six more titles and holds the record for the most wins (200) in the series.

Richard Petty, worth $65 million (via Celebrity Net Worth), became the brand ambassador after rebranding the team from Petty GMS Motorsports to Legacy Motor Club in 2023. Following this role, the NASCAR legend attended the Erik Jones Foundation's event at the Wine Shop at Rivergate, wearing a black suit and his iconic cowboy hat, while Jones sported a grey blazer and black pants.

The foundation's page expressed appreciation to everyone who participated in the event, captioning the post:

"An evening full of great wine, great food, and great fellowship! Thank you to everyone who came out to support the Erik Jones Foundation and further our mission!"

The Erik Jones Foundation aims to empower lives by igniting children's passion for reading, encouraging early cancer detection, and promoting animal welfare.

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A look at NASCAR champion Richard Petty's post-retirement life

The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Richard Petty, retired in 1992 and has since been busy with multiple business ventures. These include a racing team, a high-performance auto shop, and a charitable organization.

Petty's father, Lee Petty, founded Petty Enterprises in 1949 and fielded family members on the team. The team featured Lee Petty's brother Maurice, Richard Petty, and his son Kyle Petty. However, the team experienced several ownership changes throughout the years.

The changes began in 2009 when the team merged with Gillett Evernham Motorsports. The team continued for over two decades before shutting down in 2021 and was rebranded as Petty GMS Racing after Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. bought it. In 2023, Jimmie Johnson renamed it Legacy Motorsports.

Richard Petty's auto shop specializes in high-performance automobiles, including cars from manufacturers like Ford and Dodge. The Petty family also operates a charitable organization, the Petty Family Foundation, founded in 2008 by Rebecca-Petty Moffitt, 'The King's' daughter. The foundation supports veterans and children and also assisted during Hurricane Helene.

Eighty-seven-year-old former NASCAR Cup Series driver Richard Petty has also ventured into the entertainment industry, featuring in Pixar's famous animated movie series CARS. The series revolves around stock car racing, and Petty voiced the character Strip "The King" Weathers, based on his well-known blue Plymouth Superbird, with which he secured 18 wins in 1970.