Richard Petty’s mental toughness and racing resilience have become motorsport legends, setting a standard that few have approached. On the chaotic day at Darlington Raceway in 1970 and in countless moments since, Petty’s steadfast approach showed why he is celebrated as “The King” of NASCAR.
A Landmark Crash That Changed NASCAR Forever
In 1970 at Darlington Raceway during the Rebel 400, Richard Petty’s career—and the entire sport—took a dramatic turn. Piloting his iconic Plymouth Superbird, Petty found himself battling through a race that would become notorious. On lap 176, his car lost traction coming out of turn four, slamming hard into the outside wall and tumbling until it landed upside down. The packed crowd watched in terror as Petty’s body hung from the window, his arm limp, painting a vivid image of the risks NASCAR drivers faced.
Against the odds, Petty emerged from the wreck with only a fractured shoulder, cementing his reputation for toughness. This harrowing incident triggered a significant safety advance in NASCAR, ultimately resulting in the mandatory use of window nets—a precaution now installed in every race car to protect drivers. Even while recovering, Petty was unwilling to slow down for long. He missed five races, returned with his shoulder taped, and claimed two more victories that season, finishing with an astonishing 18 wins in 1970.
The drama and consequences of that crash elevated Petty’s story, offering fans and fellow drivers an enduring symbol of resilience that remains a reference point throughout NASCAR’s history.
The Mindset That Set Petty Apart
Decades after these career-defining events, Richard Petty continues to share insights into the mentality that made him great. In an interview with Graham Bensinger, Petty, now 88, offered a rare look into the internal resolve that carried him through career-threatening injuries and personal challenges.
He emphasized that his success and survival came down to a rare approach to pain and adversity:
“The Strongest thing a person has is his mind, it’s the mindset thing. No matter how bad you was hurt, your job was to get in that race car and do the best you could with it. So between the obligations you had to you and your family and then the people that you worked with in your mind you just went and done it. You didn’t think about it.”
—Richard Petty.
Distilling his philosophy to just five words, Petty stated plainly, “Got to do the job.” This phrase became his mantra and guiding principle, as he explained,
“If you had a broke leg, you got into the car, if your ribs broke, you got into the car, if your shoulder broke? They just tape the damn thing up and put you in the car and you went.”
—Richard Petty. The determination behind these words left a strong impression on both Bensinger and his legion of fans, highlighting the sheer force of will that propelled Petty to a record seven championships.
Throughout his storied career, Petty’s belief in mind over matter was not just talk—it was demonstrated in moments of extreme adversity. In 1979, he raced and won the Daytona 500 after undergoing a risky surgery that removed 40% of his stomach due to severe pain. Against medical advice and all expectations, he returned to the track in under two months, reclaiming his title as the preeminent driver in NASCAR. Petty’s understated explanation,
“They chopped it out a couple months ago,”
as he gestured casually at his scarred abdomen, reinforced his singular focus and casual approach to pain. That victory catalyzed another championship season and reminded the world why his mindset was deemed unbeatable.
The Power of Mind Over Body
Petty’s ability to overcome injury revealed another unique facet: his refusal to rely on painkillers, even during routine procedures. When pressed on this by Bensinger, Petty stated,
“Well, that’s just teaching my mind,”
—Richard Petty, revealing a discipline honed early in life. He doubled down on this belief, adding,
“I am a real strong believer of mind over matter and that’s what it all is. So from that standpoint I guess I learnt from early age and when you got an obligation to do, you ain’t got time to be sick or you ain’t got to hurt, you got to do the job.”
—Richard Petty.
This mental discipline guided Petty through intense personal trials, including a 1995 diagnosis of prostate cancer. At 57, Petty quietly underwent surgery after a routine check-up discovered the disease. He kept the news private until he was out of danger and, even as he briefly stepped back from Richard Petty Motorsports, his spirit and resolve never appeared to diminish. The ordeal further demonstrated his belief that the mind remains an athlete’s greatest asset, often more powerful than physical limitations.
Resilience Modeled Across NASCAR’s Greatest
The legacy of Richard Petty’s resilience has inspired, and been echoed by, other icons in motorsports. Dale Earnhardt, celebrated for his own toughness, provides a prime example. In 1976, while working in his father’s shop, Earnhardt suffered a head injury when a piece of shrapnel became embedded in his scalp. Remarkably, he ignored it for decades, only having it removed in 2001 after experiencing discomfort. Doctors extracted a shard measuring one-eighth of an inch, an ordeal which underscored Earnhardt’s pain threshold.
The story found new life when it was shared on social media by the ‘NASCARMAN’ account, referencing an article from Knight Rider Newspaper, the country’s second-largest newspaper at the time. The headline captured the spirit of the moment:
“Dale Earnhardt proves his mettle again.”
—Knight Rider Newspaper.
Bobby Allison subsequently dubbed Earnhardt “Ironhead,” a nickname that stuck and added to the Intimidator’s legend. Like Petty, Earnhardt demonstrated that NASCAR heroes often accept pain as part of their pursuit—forever willing to risk and endure for their place on the starting grid.
The Enduring Impact of Petty’s Philosophy
Richard Petty’s career, stretching across decades and transforming not just statistics but safety and sportsmanship, remains intertwined with his unbreakable mental approach. His leadership influenced safety protocols, as seen after his Darlington crash in the introduction of window nets, which have protected countless drivers.
His mantra, “Got to do the job,” resounds far beyond NASCAR. It has paved the way for a culture that prizes resilience, responsibility to family, teammates, and self-sacrifice. Other sports, like those contested at the Olympics and across American leagues such as the NFL, NBA, and MLB, still draw inspiration from the legacy he and contemporaries like Dale Earnhardt left behind.
The impact of Richard Petty continues at Richard Petty Motorsports and across NASCAR, as drivers and fans look to his example during periods of uncertainty—whether facing a physical setback, a sudden disaster on the track, or pressing on after defeat. Graham Bensinger’s interview places a spotlight not just on a champion but on a mindset that shapes how greatness is measured.
Ultimately, as new generations of drivers like Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch aim for their own records, and fans relive the drama of historic events like the Rebel 400 or Petty’s sixth Daytona 500 win, the true legacy of Richard Petty’s mental toughness and racing resilience is set in the standards and safety of today’s motorsports, forever echoing through every lap and every comeback on the racing circuit.
