NASCAR ‘King’ Richard Petty and family are grand marshals of Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona

Daytona and Petty.

Petty and Daytona.

Two names that became synonymous with stock-car auto racing, largely due to the synergy created by the World Center of Racing and NASCAR’s most successful racing family.

The relationship continues Saturday night at Daytona International Speedway, when members of the Petty family — head by “King Richard” himself — serve as a group grand marshal and give the starting command before the start of the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

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“Our history here at Daytona International Speedway and NASCAR goes hand-in-hand with the Petty family’s history, beginning when Lee (Richard’s dad) won the very first Daytona 500 in 1959,” said Speedway president Frank Kelleher.

While family patriarch Lee Petty, a three-time NASCAR champion, won the inaugural 500, son Richard won seven, matching his seven Cup Series championships. While Richard’s son Kyle didn’t count a Daytona 500 among his eight career Cup Series victories, he won the 1979 ARCA 200 in his very first speedway start.

In giving the starting command, Richard and Kyle will be joined by Richard’s nephews, and Kyle’s cousins — Ritchie, Timmy and Mark Petty, sons of Richard’s late brother Maurice, the racing family’s engine-building maestro who is also a member of NASCAR’s Hall of Fame.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR at Daytona | Richard Petty and family will be grand marshals