Richard Petty will be honored at The Sports Museum's 17^th annual fundraising gala, The Tradition, at the TD Garden in Boston, Mass. on Wednesday, November 28 for his accomplishments and contributions to NASCAR and the motorsports industry. Petty will be among a group of New England's most legendary athletes and New Hampshire Motor Speedway is giving away tickets to a lucky fan to attend this once-in-a-lifetime event.

"It's always nice to be recognized for your accomplishments," said Petty. "There is a big base of race fans throughout New England who are passionate about NASCAR and all of racing, so that's special to have them recognize us. This isn't about just one person, but rather the whole group of individuals that makes everything work and grow. I was just the driver, but all the fans and people who work in the sport throughout New England are just as important to all of racing and its success there."

Known to many simply as "The King," NASCAR Hall of Famer Petty is the most decorated driver in the history of NASCAR. With a record number 200 career race wins and seven Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championships during his illustrious career, there is a reason he wears the crown.

The award is presented each year to a select few who have accomplished a great deal as athletes and contributed to the sports world and the community at large. Along with Petty, Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics), Don Cherry (Boston Bruins), Julie Foudy (U.S. Women's Soccer), Jim Lonborg (Boston Red Sox) and Deion Branch (New England Patriots) will also be recognized at the event.

Fellow New England motorsports legend, Dick Berggren, will be presenting "The King" with his award.

"Richard Petty - tied with Dale Earnhardt for the most NASCAR championships in its top series, winner of more races in that division than any other driver and seven Daytona 500 wins - is one of the greatest drivers in auto racing history," said Berggren. "He has contributed tremendously to the sport, giving of himself to help build NASCAR's fan base."

Today, he spends much of his time overseeing the operations of Richard Petty Motorsports, a race team competing at NASCAR's highest level, as well as Petty's Garage high performance speed shop.

He's been a staple at New Hampshire Motor Speedway's NASCAR races and always spends time taking photos and signing autographs with the fans. "The King" celebrated his 80^th birthday in July 2017 at NHMS.

A lucky fan - Tom E. from Londonderry - will have the chance to meet "The King" and cheer him on, as he won a pair of tickets to The Tradition gala, giving him the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to mingle with some of New England's most legendary athletes and industry leaders. To be entered into the drawing, fans purchased tickets to the 2019 Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway by Friday, November 16. Fans who had already purchased their tickets were automatically entered. See official contest rules here.

For ticket information for events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, including the 2019 Foxwoods Resort Casino 301, visit the speedway website at www.NHMS.com or call Fan Relations at (603) 783-4931.