Few drivers — if any — have made as much an impact in NASCAR than Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough.
Between the two Hall of Famers: 10 Cup Series championships, 11 Daytona 500 victories and 283 overall wins. Simply put, two of the greatest to ever strap into a race car and both with strong cases of being on the NASCAR Mount Rushmore.
And on this day, the NASCAR community is mourning the loss of one of its all-time greats in Yarborough, who passed away Sunday in Florence, South Carolina. He was 84. For two drivers whose careers intertwined such as Petty and Yarborough, there’s a level of mutual respect for one another. And when news came down of Yarborough’s passing, Petty was one of the first to offer his condolences.
“Richard Petty and The Petty Family extend their deepest condolences to the family of Cale Yarborough,” Petty said in a statement on X. “His rivalry and competitive spirit with The King will always be a renowned part of NASCAR History, showcasing their mutual respect and the intensity of their competition on the track. Our thoughts are with the Yarborough family during this difficult time.”
Those who witnessed the rivalry up close, such as Petty’s son, Kyle Petty, will always carry those memories with them.
“My heart is sad today,” Kyle Petty wrote on X. “Cale was a part of so many of my childhood memories. I watched him race my dad and all the greats and I was blessed to race against him. Cale was a great man. I’ll always remember him sawing the wheel fighting for the win. My prayers go out to his family.”
Cale Yarborough wrapped up NASCAR career as one of the most decorated drivers of all-time
In a career spanning over three decades, Yarborough raced his way to victory lane 83 times in the Cup Series, tied for sixth all-time with Jimmie Johnson. He won three consecutive Cup Series championships from 1976-78, the first driver to accomplish the feat. Only Johnson has since done it, winning five in a row from 2006-10. Yarborough notched four Daytona 500 wins (1968, 1977, 1983, 1984). Only Richard Petty (seven) has claimed more victories in the “Great American Race.”
Yarborough will forever be remembered for his last-lap duel with Donnie Allison in the 1979 Daytona 500. The two frontrunners went side-by-side down the backstretch before crashing together, paving the way for Richard Petty to steal the win. Yarborough fought both Donnie and brother Bobby Allison in the infield as officials attempted to intervene. The race was the first NASCAR event to feature live flag-to-flag coverage on TV.
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