He has not won a race since 1984. His last championship came in 1979. But Richard Petty's big sunglasses, cowboy hat and that No. 43 still loom large over stock-car racing. Petty raced for a remarkable 34 years.

See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Renowned NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson has been named among ESPN's Top 100 Professional Athletes of the 21st Century.

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday evening for the Charbroil 300. Tune in to The CW to catch the racing action.’ MORE: Richard Childress Racing makes major decision on Kyle Busch’s No.