| | Associated Press
TRINITY, N.C. -- Friends, relatives and members of the
stock-car racing community will gather Monday for the funeral of
Adam Petty, the 19-year-old scion of NASCAR's most famous family.
Petty, heir to the Petty Racing throne, died Friday after
crashing during practice for the Busch 200 at New Hampshire
International Speedway.
A memorial service for Petty will be held at High Point
University in High Point. The Petty family has requested a private
ceremony but has opened the service to close friends.
But the mourning extends far beyond family and friends.
More than 7,000 e-mail condolences had been sent to the Petty
Racing Web site by early Saturday evening. RPM 2Night, a racing
show on ESPN2, devoted its entire telecast Saturday night as a
tribute to Adam Petty.
Tim Fedewa dedicated his victory in Saturday's race to his
friend.
"This one's for Adam," Fedewa said in victory lane.
Petty was the grandson of seven-time NASCAR champion Richard
Petty and the son of Kyle Petty, a regular on the Winston Cup
circuit. His great-grandfather, Lee Petty, was one of the pioneers
of NASCAR.
Lee Petty died April 5 at age 86 from complications of a stomach
aneurysm, three days after Adam made his Winston Cup debut in Fort
Worth, Texas.
While making a name for themselves on the track, the Pettys were
known in North Carolina for their sense of community.
"They pretty much made Level Cross and Randleman what it is,"
volunteer firefighter David Ridgeway said. "Even people that don't
know them took it pretty hard."
On Saturday, John Carroll and Bobby Trantham reflected on the
Petty legacy as they ate peanuts and waited for the start of a
bullriding competition at Level Cross Ball Park.
Both men are members of the Level Cross Civitans, a group that
has frequently benefited from the Petty family's generosity.
Richard and his wife, Lynda, repeatedly have offered the use of
cars and tractors during fund-raising efforts, Trantham said. The
Civitan organization also receives donations from Kyle Petty's Ride
Across America charity drive.
Carroll said the Petty generosity was passed down every
generation.
"Our community is going to feel a void," Trinity town
councilman Carlton Boyles said. "All of us have lost." | |
ALSO SEE
Driver Adam Petty dies after Busch practice crash
Fedewa wins somber Busch 200
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