GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Lee Petty, a stock car pioneer and the patriarch of a racing dynasty, died Wednesday at 86.
He had surgery for a stomach aneurysm several weeks ago and died at Moses Cone Hospital. An official with Petty Enterprises confirmed the death.Petty was the father of Winston Cup great Richard Petty, grandfather of Kyle Petty and great-grandfather of Adam Petty, who made his Winston Cup debut this past weekend in Texas.
Lee Petty was a three-time champion on what has become the Winston Cup circuit and won the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959.
"There wasn't any better driver than Lee Petty in his day," said Junior Johnson, another early stock car star. "There might have been more colorful drivers, but when it came down to winning the race, he had as much as anyone I've ever seen."
Petty was one of the first stars in stock car racing's formative years. He began his career with an eight-race schedule in 1949 and went on to score 55 career wins, becoming a three-time Grand National champion.
Richard Petty started racing under his father's tutelage in 1958.