The Wandering Disciple

On July 4, 1984 Richard Petty edged Cale Yarborough by a bumper to win the Firecracker 400 at the Daytona International Speedway. A packed house including President Ronald Reagan witnessed history as the King recorded his record breaking 200th win. Today his 1984 Pontiac is on display at the Petty Museum located on the grounds of his boyhood home and birthplace of Petty Enterprises in Randleman, North Carolina. (Photo: November 1, 2021)

A popular sight on the NASCAR circuit on the 80's and early 90's, the Bandit was one of the more recognizable teams on the track.  Driven by legendary driver Harry Gant, saw victory lane eighteen times in the Winston Cup series.  Handsome Harry enjoyed a 22 year career Hall of Fame career with many accolades along the way including an IROC Championship in 1985, driver of the year and a 4-race winning streak in 1991.  Gant retired  from NASCAR in 1994. This car now belongs to Nicodemus Racing, a non-profit that provides racing experiences for vets. (Photo: July 4, 2017)

Fireworks, cook-outs and NASCAR. That is a southern tradition for Independence Day when the stars of NASCAR come to Daytona International Speedway for their annual Fourth of July weekend visit. Today the cars and their patriotic schemes hit the tracks to prepare for Coke Zero Sugar 400, an annual tradition during Independence Day. (Photo: July 4, 2019)