Richard Petty to Receive North Carolina's Highest Civilian Honor

Richard Petty is set to receive North Carolina's highest civilian honor.

What is the North Carolina Award?

The award is the state's highest civilian honor, recognizing significant contributions to the state and nation.

The North Carolina Award was created by the General Assembly in 1961.

Who are the other recipients?

The 2026 honorees include Jason Mott for Literature, Lt. Gen. Kevin Vereen and Randy Woodson for Public Service, Lindsay Zanno for Science, and Beverly McIver for Fine Arts.

Richard Petty will receive the award for his decades of public service benefiting the state.

• The award ceremony will take place on November 17 at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh.
• Proceeds from ticket sales will go to Blue Star Families and Camp Corral, charities that benefit veterans and military families.
• Governor Josh Stein announced the recipients of the 2026 North Carolina Award on Thursday.

What is Richard Petty's background?

Richard Petty, also known as "The King", started racing in 1958 and quickly followed in his father Lee Petty's footsteps as a NASCAR star.

He has won seven championships and seven Daytona 500 wins, a mark that will likely never be touched.

What other accolades has Richard Petty received?

Richard Petty was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George H.W. Bush in 1992.

He also received the American Legion's Good Guy Award in 2014 for his contributions to the community.