Special from ARCA… 

TOLEDO, Ohio (March 10, 2018) — Thad Moffitt, the grandson of “The King” Richard Petty, is the first driver to file an entry for the next ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards event, the Music City 200 at Fairgrounds Nashville Speedway coming Saturday, April 7.

The Trinity, N.C. fourth-generation driver made his ARCA Racing Series debut last year at Nashville, finishing 16th in the 32-car field. Moffitt made two other ARCA starts in 2017, finishing a career-best 11th at Lucas Oil Raceway. Moffitt also participated in ARCA’s open test at Daytona Int’l Speedway in January, 2018.

Moffitt, the oldest son of Brian and Rebecca Moffitt, claimed the championship in the Southeast Limited Late Model Series in 2016.

His famous grandfather Richard Petty is a 7-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion and is the all-time Cup leader with 200 career wins. He also won 123 poles and led 51,406 laps over his Cup career.

“He’ll (Richard Petty) give me advice if I ask, but he wants me to learn on my own, just like Adam (Petty) and Uncle Kyle (Petty) did,” said Moffitt. “We all have different driving styles so advice for one won’t always work for the other.”

The Petty tradition started with his great grandfather Lee Petty in the No. 42. Richard Petty carried the name on in the 43 with Kyle Petty following in the 44. Kyle’s son Adam wore the 45 before Moffitt would keep the tradition alive with the next number in line – the 46.

Moffitt, 17, is entered at Nashville in the Empire Racing-prepared No. 46 Performance Plus Chevrolet.

“Nashville’s an amazing track. It’s got multiple grooves. You could enter low and let it push up and bring it back down coming off. But once the tires got to 75 laps or so, you could pretty-much run the second groove all the way around. I love the banking in that track…the way it sucks you into the corner.”

ARCA Nashville Fairgrounds Roots go back to 1959

Three-time ARCA national champion Nelson Stacy was ARCA’s inaugural winner at Nashville in 1959. Other notable race winners/champions at Nashville include Jack Bowsher (ARCA champion), Don White (USAC Stock Car champion), Harold Smith (ARCA champion), Ramo Stott (ARCA champion), Moose Myers (ARCA champion), Marvin Smith (ARCA champion), David Green (NASCAR Xfinity champion) and 2015 ARCA champion Grant Enfinger. Chad Finley won last year’s Music City 200. Other ARCA winners at Nashville include Andy Hampton, Red Farmer and Coo Coo Marlin, all of whom were track champions in their own locales. Nineteen-time ARCA winner Bob Schacht won three consecutive at Nashville in 1981, ’82 and ’83.

More Nashville Fairgrounds History

While racing began at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds as early as 1904, the track which evolved into the current day Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville held its first race in 1958. The track was also home to 42 NASCAR Cup races from 1958-1984 with Richard Petty leading all drivers with nine wins followed by Darrell Waltrip with eight. Other Cup winners include Joe Weatherly, David Pearson, Bobby Isaac, Cale Yarborough, Buddy Baker, Bobby Allison, Benny Parsons and Dale Earnhardt. The NASCAR Xfinity Series raced there nine times from 1984-2000, and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series held five races from 1996-2000.

Hauler parking and Super Late Model practice is scheduled for Friday, April 6, while all racing festivities are set for Saturday, April 7 with practice beginning at 12 noon with qualifying following at 3 p.m. Racing begins at 5:45. General admission presale tickets are available for a $5 per ticket discount at https://market.myracepass.com/store/tickets/?i=1138614&store=17617 or by calling the Track Enterprises office at 217-764-3200.