Lynda Petty Honored With NMPA Spirit Award

The late Lynda Petty has been named the first quarter recipient of the National Motorsports Press Association’s Spirit Award. Petty died at her home in North Carolina on March 25, after a long illness.

The matriarch of NASCAR’s legendary Petty family and wife of 55 years to NASCAR Hall Of Famer Richard Petty, Lynda Petty was a founding member of NASCAR’s Racing Wives Auxiliary, which assists member of the racing community in times of hardship. She was also involved with a number of other civic and charitable causes.

“The NMPA Spirit Award is designed to recognize character and achievement in the face of adversity, sportsmanship and contributions to motorsports,” said the NMPA in a media release this week. “Each year, quarterly winners are chosen, and an overall annual winner is selected by a vote of the NMPA membership.”

Also receiving votes were six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and driver Denny Hamlin.