What is Richard Petty doing now? A sneak peek into the NASCAR legend's post-retirement life

Since his retirement in 1992, Richard Petty has been growing his platform inside and outside the sport. Presently, the now-86-year-old driver is working on several ventures such as a NASCAR team, a high-performance automotive shop, and a charitable organization, among others.

Richard Petty is undeniably one of the greatest drivers, if not the greatest driver, in the history of NASCAR. Nicknamed “The King”, Petty won seven Cup Series championships in his three-decade-long racing career, tying Dale Earnhardt Sr. in the all-time record for most titles won.

What is life after the bright lights in racing for Richard Petty? Let’s take a look.

Petty Enterprises

Richard Petty owned the race team founded by his father Lee Petty, called Petty Enterprises in 1949. The team fielded drivers from the family including "The King" himself, Maurice (Richard Petty’s brother), and Kyle (son). Bobby Labonte also had a three-year stint with the team from 2006 to 2008.

Several ownership changes were made in the team, starting in 2009 when the team merged with Gillett Evernham Motorsports. It ran as Richard Petty Motorsports for over a decade before closing in 2021 when GMS Racing owner Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. purchased the team.

Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson (Source: Imagn)

The new ownership rebranded the team to Petty GMS Motorsports for a year. In 2023, the team was renamed Legacy Motor Club after Jimmie Johnson became a co-owner. Gallagher Jr. and Johnson are listed as the owners of the LMC, while Petty remains an ambassador.

Outside the NASCAR garage, the 200-time Cup winner owns a high-performance shop called Petty’s Garage, which predominantly modifies American cars such as Ford and Dodge.

Petty Family Foundation

The Petty family introduced a charitable organization called Petty Family Foundation in 2008, with Rebecca Petty-Moffitt (Richard’s daughter) assuming the executive director role. The foundation mainly provides financial support to organizations that serve veterans and children.

However, the Petty Family Foundation said its scope is not limited to veterans and children only. Some of the causes the foundation supported include Victory Junction, Randolph Community College, and Foundation Fighting Blindness.

The organization’s latest project is Operation Appalachian Christmas. It aims to ensure families affected by Hurricane Helene receive the necessary supplies for Christmas and gifts for children.

Films and TV

Perhaps the biggest film project Petty took part in was Pixar’s Cars where he voiced Strip “The King” Weathers. Based on the driver himself, Weather is a seven-time champion modeled after a Plymouth Superbird, the car Petty won 18 times in NASCAR in 1970.

The King may not be active in NASCAR broadcast week after week but he is pretty much in touch with the sport. In 2017, Petty was black-flagged at Darlington Raceway for staying too long on the track during a pre-race parade as an honorary pace car driver.

For the latest from the seven-time champ, fans can tune in to the Petty Family Racing YouTube channel launched a year ago. The channel talks about Petty's insights after every NASCAR race and the family's behind-the-scenes stories.