Aside from being a driver in NASCAR's Elite Series, Kyle Petty has also garnered quite a reputation as a business executive and community leader.

One of the few third-generation athletes in American sports, Petty had a variety of career options. As a winning athlete in high school, Petty was recruited by several colleges for football and baseball scholarships.

A country music career later became an option with more than one Nashville agent saying Kyle had "what it takes" to make it big. But racing remained his first choice.

In 1979, Kyle first climbed behind the wheel of a stock car in major competition, visiting Victory Lane in the Daytona ARCA 200-miler -- his first major league competition.

Kyle Petty drove five Cup races that year, notching the first top-10 final of his career. A year later, he started 15 races -- picking up top-10 finishes in six of them -- before running his first full schedule in 1981.

Kyle Petty remained with Petty Enterprises until he joined the legendary Wood Brothers for the 1985 season. A year later, he picked up his first career victory in Richmond, Va. Kyle moved to SABCO in 1990, where he remained until opening PE2 in 1997. At the end of the 1998 season, he moved his team back to Level Cross, N.C., where four teams now sit under the Petty Enterprises banner.

Kyle is also known for his community and charitable work throughout motorsports and the country. In 1998, he was named True Value "Man of the Year" and NASCAR Winston Cup Illustrated's "Person of the Year" in 1999. Both honors were a direct result of his hundreds of hours in charitable works.

Kyle Petty's Charity Ride Across America was founded by Kyle in 1995 to benefit children's charities across the nation. Many drivers, team members and others affiliated with NASCAR take part in the ride, visiting children's hospitals and participating in fundraising. Over 100 riders participate yearly and have raised over $1.5 million to date.

Kyle Petty also works with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Boy Scouts of America and the Nextel Cup Racing Wives Auxiliary.

Petty also enjoys reading, collecting Elvis memorabilia and riding his Victory motorcycles.