Politics
Richard Petty backs Trump’s North Carolina Senate push at Greenville rally
The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion joined President Donald Trump onstage in Greenville on Oct. 20 after traveling with him aboard Air Force One. Petty used a racing metaphor to urge voters to support Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley.
GREENVILLE, N.C. — NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty joined President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Greenville on Tuesday, Oct. 20, lending his celebrity to Trump’s effort to build support for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley.
Petty, 89, traveled to North Carolina aboard Air Force One with Trump, according to photos Petty shared on social media. Trump invited him onto the stage during the rally, where Petty compared the election to a race and the president to a driver who needs the right crew behind him.
“We’re in a big race here,” Petty told the crowd, urging people to choose what he called the best “pit crew” for Trump. He described the president as “the best driver we’ve ever had” and said that with the right team, “we’re all winners.”
Trump praised Petty after his remarks, calling him a respected legend. Petty has appeared with Trump at other rallies and at NASCAR events attended by the president.
Petty, known in racing as “The King,” holds the record for most career NASCAR Cup Series victories, with 200. His seven championships are tied with Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Jimmie Johnson for the most in the series.
The North Carolina native lives in Randleman and has also run for office. He lost the 1996 race for secretary of state to Elaine Marshall, who held the office in 2026.