Richard Petty Receives North Carolina's Highest Civilian

Richard Petty, the 89-year-old NASCAR icon, will receive the state's highest civilian honor this fall. Governor Josh Stein will present the North Carolina Award to Petty and five other recipients at a ceremony in Raleigh on November 17.

Petty to be honored for public service

Governor Josh Stein will honor six individuals at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh. Petty, a Randleman native, is the headliner and becomes the first motorsports figure to receive this award. He is recognized for public service alongside Lt. Gen. Kevin Vereen (Ret.) and Randy Woodson. The other honorees are Jason Mott for Literature, Lindsay Zanno for Science, and Beverly McIver for Fine Arts. Ticket proceeds will benefit military charities Blue Star Families and Camp Corral. Stein said the 2026 recipients represent the best of North Carolina and the ceremony will focus on supporting service members and veterans.

Petty comments on Legacy Motor Club's driver shakeup

The NASCAR legend, who serves as an ambassador for Legacy Motor Club, offered a measured take on the team's recent roster changes. Petty said, "I think for Legacy to move forward, we're going to have to start getting the drivers in there that can be competitive and can race with each other to make each other better. And right now we've not got that." His six-word verdict, "right now we've not got that," explains the team's drastic moves. Legacy is expanding to three charters for 2027 and replaced John Hunter Nemechek with Josh Berry in the No. 42 car. Team co-owner Jimmie Johnson viewed the change as necessary.

Petty's comments highlight a perceived lack of internal competition at Legacy Motor Club. Erik Jones, a two-time Southern 500 winner, hasn't faced enough pressure from a teammate to elevate performance. Petty pointed to 23XI Racing as a positive example, where Tyler Reddick's five wins and Corey Heim's two wins in a limited schedule created a competitive environment. Josh Berry, the new driver, won his first Cup race last year with Wood Brothers Racing in Las Vegas. He also recently strung together six consecutive top-10 finishes from the Brickyard 400 to the Southern 500, a first for Wood Brothers.

Rockingham Speedway goes up for sale

A historic track deeply connected to Petty's career is now on the market. Rockingham Speedway is listed for sale at $10 million after NASCAR dropped it from the 2027 schedule. Its sale marks another shift in the sport's landscape away from classic short tracks.

• Key Takeaways:
• Richard Petty will receive the North Carolina Award on November 17, 2026 in Raleigh.
• Petty believes Legacy Motor Club needs more competitive driver pairings to improve.
• The team replaced John Hunter Nemechek with Josh Berry for the 2027 season.
• Rockingham Speedway is for sale for $10 million after losing its 2027 NASCAR date.

The ceremony honoring Petty shows his lasting impact beyond the track. His straightforward analysis of his team's situation shows he remains engaged with the sport's competitive present. Meanwhile, the sale of Rockingham serves as a reminder of the evolving venues that shaped his legendary career.