Richard Petty Surprises War Vet with a New Car in New Lenox

Richard Petty paid a surprise visit to an Iraq War veteran at the New Lenox Jewel Osco on Friday and gave him a new Ford Fusion — after the man already had been knocked off his feet upon learning he’d been given a year’s supply of groceries and honorary pit crew duty at Sunday’s Chicagoland Speedway NASCAR race.

Eckrich, a racing team sponsor, celebrated its 120th race by helping Operation Homefront, a nonprofit that provides emergency assistance to families of service members and wounded warriors, bestow the gifts on the Army veteran and his family.

Ray Goss and his family, of Michigan City, IN, drove to the U.S. 30 Jewel, off Nelson Road, on Friday after being told they’d won free race tickets. As NASCAR legend Richard Petty shook the young Army vet’s hand, Goss told his son Max: “He’s the best race car driver that ever lived.”

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