Petty 75: Remembering Richard Petty's Starring Roles in Hollywood

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• 43: The Petty Story was Richard Petty's most ambitious movie role, it wasn’t his last.

• The King also made a cameo in the 2008 film Swing Vote starring Kevin Costner.

• Petty was easily identifiable voice as The King in Disney’s animated Pixar films Cars and later Cars 3.

Late in 1972, after appearing as himself in the forgettable movie 43: The Petty Story, seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty told the media that he’d made two movies that year. He briefly hesitated before explaining: “my first and I hope my last.”

Well, he missed slightly on that one. Several years earlier, in mid-1968, he’d made a cameo in Speedway, starring Elvis Presley, Nancy Sinatra, and Bill Bixby. In addition to Petty, there were minor roles for fellow racers Cale Yarborough, Buddy Baker, Dick Hutcherson, Tiny Lund, G.C. Spencer, and Roy Mayne.

Although 43: The Petty Story was his most ambitious role, it wasn’t his last. He made a cameo in the 2008 film Swing Vote starring Kevin Costner and was an easily identifiable voice as The King in Disney’s animated Pixar films Cars and later Cars 3.