Richard Petty Honored at Autosport Awards in London

Richard "The King" Petty has an impressive new jewel in his crown. Sunday, Petty, NASCAR's most decorated driver with 200 wins and seven championships, received Autosport Magazine's Gregor Grant Award, a lifetime achievement presentation named after the publication's founding editor. The honor was bestowed on the 77-year-old racing legend in London during the annual Autosport Awards.

Petty was in attendance at the ceremony to accept the award, which has previously been given to racing icons such as Mario Andretti, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Sir Jackie Stewart and Sir Stirling Moss. The Gregor Grant Award has been presented as part of the annual awards since 1989.

Grant founded Autosport in 1950 and served as the weekly motorsport magazine's editor until 1968. Each year, Autosport chooses a member of the motorsport community to be honored in Grant's name for his or her lifetime contributions to the sport of auto racing.

"This is a pretty big deal," Petty said after receiving the award. "This puts me in the company of some the best drivers in the world, and I'm proud to be included with them. I'm thankful to Autosport for recognizing us and inviting me to London for their Awards show."

Petty earned seven NASCAR Cup championships and a record 200 wins over his 35-year career and was a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame's inaugural class in 2010. Never one to retire, he is still active in NASCAR as co-owner and namesake of Richard Petty Motorsports, which fields cars in NASCAR's top national series.

Autosport is the world's leading motorsport media brand, with more than three million readers across its digital and print portfolio. Autosport celebrates its awards every December in a glittering ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane, London, with many of the sport's top stars in attendance. The black tie gala dinner attracts a capacity audience of 1,200 from the world of Formula One and global motorsport. Other honors given include International Racing Driver of the Year, International Racing Car of the Year, and Rookie of the Year.

RPM PR