NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty will be honored by the International Motor Racing Research Center with the Cameron R. Argetsinger Award. The award is for outstanding contributions to motor sports and will be given Aug. 6 at the Corning Museum of Glass. The inaugural award was given last year to NASCAR and IndyCar team owner Chip Ganassi. Long removed from his era as one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history, the 77-year-old Petty still serves as an ambassador, corporate pitchman and team owner in NASCAR. Argetsinger started the road-racing tradition at nearby Watkins Glen in 1948. A native of Youngstown, Ohio, he brought full international races to the Finger Lakes village a decade later and in 1961 helped lure Formula One to race at Watkins Glen International, a run that lasted two decades.(Associated Press)(6-4-2015)
