Johnny beauchamp 1961 crash

What nearly became the end of Petty Engineering became the start of the greatness of Petty Enterprises.

In the first 100-mile Daytona qualifying race, Richard left the yard - sailing over the wall.

Clip taken from Petty Blue: Lee Petty & Johnny Beauchamp flip during the 2nd qualifier race for the Daytona

Clip taken from Petty Blue: Lee Petty & Johnny Beauchamp flip during the 2nd qualifier race for the Daytona

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62 years ago today, Lee Petty & Johnny Beauchamp's brutal crash during the 2nd Daytona qualifying race in , Both drivers survived the crash.

Beauchamp and Petty were involved in an accident at the Daytona Qualifier #2.

In the Daytona 's second Twin Qualifying Event, Johnny Beauchamp's loss of control resulted in his car colliding with Lee Petty's bumper.

For the most part, he escaped unscathed. But shortly after leaving the infield care center, he heard that his dad and primary breadwinner for Petty Engineering, Lee Petty, had also sailed out of the track.Coincidentally, Johnny Beauchamp - who Lee battled to the finish line 2 years earlier in the inaugural Daytona 500 - sailed over the wall with him.

Lee was critically injured and required months of hospitalization and therapy.

Richard, Maurice, Dale Inman, and the crew had to haul home 2 wrecked race cars, no purse winnings from the 500, no hands-on leadership from Lee, and little clue as to where to go from there.

The Petty team could have folded right then and there.

But with encouragement by Lee and hard-work ethic b