Milestone Moment: Richard Petty Overcame Blown Engine, Six-Lap Deficit
By Keith Waltz In one of the greatest come-from-behind drives in the history of stock car racing, Richard Petty erased a six-lap deficit and beat Dick Brooks’ Ford to the finish line by 1.3 seconds to win the Delaware 500 on Sept. 14, 1975, at Dover International Speedway. Petty had lapped the field by lap 180 and was almost two laps ahead when a piece of debris from a blown engine in Elmo Langley’s Ford snapped the tie rod on his No. 43 STP Dodge. Petty was six laps behind the leader after his crew repaired the damage and he returned to…