NASCAR Hall of Fame 5th Class Finalist - Maurice Petty, Engine Builder,
SEE ALSO: Complete List Of Finalists - Includes Official NASCAR Bio's and Pictures
(b.
3/27/39)
Hometown: Randleman, N.C.
Championships: 1964, '67, '71, '72, '74, '75, '79
If Richard Petty is NASCAR’s king, his younger brother Maurice
certainly bears the title of prince. The chief engine builder at Petty
Enterprises, Petty becomes the fourth member of the dynasty to be nominated
for membership in the NASCAR Hall of Fame – following his older
brother, father Lee and his cousin Dale Inman, all members of the
sport’s elite body.
The man simply called Chief supplied the horsepower that propelled Richard
Petty to a majority of his record 200 NASCAR victories, plus his seven
NASCAR premier series championships and seven Daytona 500 victories. Lee
Petty, Buddy Baker, Jim Paschal and Pete Hamilton also won with his
engines.
Petty had a brief driving career – 26 premier series races with seven
top-five and 16 top-10 finishes between 1960 and 1964 – but was
satisfied to work behind the scenes as one of the top engine builders ever
seen in the sport.
Petty, 21 months younger than his elder sibling, overcame polio as a child.
Both Richard and Maurice worked on their father’s pit crew as
teenagers. He later consulted with Dodge upon its return to NASCAR’s
premier series in 2001.