Originally published by me here:
http://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2011/09/september-4-this-day-in-petty-history.html
1967 - Petty Enterprises takes two of the top three finishing positions at the Southern 500 in Darlington. Richard Petty wins the race from the pole, and G.C. Spencer finishes 3rd in car #42. It was career win #69 and win #4 in a streak of 10 straight for the King.The win was Petty's third and final career Darlington victory and his only Southern 500 win.
Here is Richard's pole-winning trophy I spotted in the trophy case at the Richard Petty Museum earlier this year. I love the fact his pole-winning speed included two numerological sequences of '43'.
Bobby W., a fellow member at Racers Reunion , remembers...
In 1967, Richard Petty was THE MAN...that was the 27-wins-10-wins-in-a-row unbelievable season. Richard came into Darlington having won the 1966 and '67 Rebel 300's. Although the Petty's had never had much luck at Darlington on Labor Day, that Labor Day was all about the King. As the race progressed, only David Pearson in the #17 H-M Fairlane remained as a very distant threat, with Pearson only leading when Richard pitted. Richard never won at Darlington again, but man he sure wore 'em out that day.And NBickley1, a fellow poster at [ Fans of Richard Petty Motorsports ] remembers...
I saw Richard win many times. But the one that stands out is the 1967 Southern 500. I was 14 and rushed to victory lane. I was able to sneak inside as Richard pulled in. I stood there and watched it all. As things were wrapping up Richard saw me, reached inside the car and threw me his goggles. I had those things for years before they finally broke. That was a day I'll always treasure.
Photo credit to and courtesy of Smyle Media If the article below is too small to read, a second article about Petty's win can be read from a [ Palm Beach Post ] article on Google News Archive.
Photo and article courtesy of Jerry Bushmire 
This particular Southern 500 was the only one I missed in a more than 45 year pursuit of the race. On Labor Day, 1967, I was aboard the USS Opportune ARS 41. We were off the coast of South America and there was no way to hear the race, nor get any report. For ten years I had been going to The Southern 500 to see Richard win it and when he did, I didn't even hear about it until a week later when we pulled into port and I was able to get mail from home. My sweet mother had written me right after the race and put it in the mail so I would have it when the ship docked. Seems to me she later sent me a newspaper clipping that the only person able to catch Richard that day was a South Carolina Highway Patrolman outside Society Hill, SC, where Richard passed a car on the "high side" on a South Carolina highway.