Thad Moffitt Bio
Thaddeus Drake Moffitt (born September 12, 2000) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 46/70 Toyota for Nitro Motorsports. Moffitt is the grandson of NASCAR Hall of Fame legend Richard Petty, and he has spent his career working to build his own identity on short tracks and stock car circuits across the country.
A native of Trinity, North Carolina, Moffitt developed his skills in karts, quarter midgets, and limited late models before advancing into NASCAR’s development ladder. He has competed in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the Trans Am Series, building a reputation as a determined and patient racer with deep family roots in the sport.
Early Life and Background
Thaddeus Drake Moffitt was born on September 12, 2000, in Trinity, North Carolina, to Brian Moffitt and Rebecca Petty-Moffitt. His mother, Rebecca, is the youngest daughter of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty, giving Thad a direct connection to one of the most storied families in American motorsports. Growing up, he was surrounded by racing culture, but family members encouraged him to develop his craft on his own terms.
As a child, Moffitt played football and other organized sports before turning his attention to racing in his early teens. He attended Wheatmore High School before switching to online schooling to better accommodate his travel-heavy schedule. His first competitive step came at age fourteen when he began racing go-karts, a common starting point for young drivers learning race craft.
Moffitt soon progressed to quarter midgets and then to limited late models, racing at short tracks such as Caraway Speedway and Ace Speedway in North Carolina. In 2016, he won his first late model race and captured the Southeast Limited Late Model Series Challenger Division championship, signaling his readiness to move up to larger national series.
Path to NASCAR
Following his late model success, Moffitt made the jump to the ARCA Racing Series in 2017, debuting at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway with Empire Racing, a satellite team linked to Richard Petty Motorsports. He ran three races that year, with a best finish of eleventh at Lucas Oil Raceway, gaining valuable experience against more experienced competitors.
He returned to ARCA in 2018 with plans for additional starts at Nashville, Pocono Raceway, and Lucas Oil Raceway. After a rocky middle stretch that included on-track incidents, Moffitt posted his first top-ten finish at Toledo Speedway, demonstrating steady progress. In 2020, he joined DGR-Crosley for the Daytona season opener and ran thirteen races, earning a career-best fourth-place finish at Memphis.
In 2021, Moffitt continued with the renamed David Gilliland Racing outfit, contesting most of the ARCA schedule. Over the next several seasons, he balanced seat time in ARCA with opportunities in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the Trans Am Series, steadily building a versatile résumé across multiple stock car platforms.
Thad Moffitt Career
Early Career (2016-2017)
Moffitt’s professional career began in 2016 with a championship-winning season in the Southeast Limited Late Model Series Challenger Division, paired with his first late model victory. That breakthrough convinced his family and supporters that he was prepared to test himself at a higher level.
His 2017 ARCA debut at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway came in a car designed to honor his grandfather Richard Petty. With only three starts that year, the season was more about education than results, and his best finish of eleventh at Lucas Oil Raceway provided a baseline for the seasons ahead.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2018-2021)
After a learning curve in 2018, Moffitt returned to ARCA in 2020 with DGR-Crosley, a respected Toyota-aligned team. He posted three top-five finishes across thirteen races and a career-best fourth at Memphis, marking his strongest ARCA season to date and establishing him as a regular contender in the series.
In 2021, Moffitt stayed with the same organization under its new name, David Gilliland Racing, and contested nearly the full schedule. He recorded consistent top-ten runs and was involved in a high-profile on-track incident with Drew Dollar at Michigan, a moment that reflected the aggressive nature of his racing style.
Trans Am Series (2023)
In 2023, Moffitt took on a full Trans Am Series schedule in the TA2 class, driving the No. 43 Chevrolet for TeamSLR with support from Petty’s Garage. He earned six top-ten finishes, including a runner-up result at the second Detroit Street Circuit race, and ended the year seventh in the class standings.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (2022-2024)
Moffitt made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut on February 10, 2022, at Daytona International Speedway with Reaume Brothers Racing in a collaboration with GMS Racing. The truck carried a paint scheme that paid tribute to Richard Petty’s 1992 retirement season, a meaningful nod to his family heritage.
On December 9, 2023, Moffitt was announced as the full-time driver for Faction46, a new NASCAR team, in the No. 46 Chevrolet for the 2024 season. On June 28, 2024, prior to the race at Nashville Superspeedway, he experienced a medical emergency, leading to Dawson Cram substituting in the No. 46. Faction46 shut down on July 8, 2024, due to financial constraints. Young’s Motorsports then signed Moffitt to drive the No. 46 at Pocono Raceway and beyond, though he later scaled back his schedule due to funding. He returned at Phoenix and finished the 2024 season 32nd in the standings.
Nitro Motorsports Era (2025-Present)
On January 7, 2025, Nitro Motorsports announced that Moffitt would return to full-time ARCA competition. He was later scaled to a part-time role on June 10, 2025, so that the team could add Treyten Lapcevich to its No. 70 entry. Despite the reduced schedule, Moffitt remained a key part of the Nitro lineup alongside his other racing commitments.
Driving Style and Strengths
Moffitt is known for his patience on short tracks and his willingness to learn from veteran competitors. His family ties have given him access to a deep well of racing knowledge, and he has shown steady growth in race craft and consistency over each passing season. Working with established teams has allowed him to refine his feedback with engineers and crew chiefs.
Notable Races and Milestones
His 2016 Southeast Limited Late Model championship, his first Truck Series start at Daytona in a Petty tribute scheme, and his runner-up finish in a Trans Am race at the Detroit Street Circuit stand out as signature moments in his career so far. Each milestone has reflected his steady climb through the stock car ranks.
Thad Moffitt Career Wins
Thad Moffitt has built his résumé on consistent finishes and developmental progress rather than a long list of victories. His most notable win to date is his 2016 Southeast Limited Late Model Series Challenger Division championship, a title that helped launch his path into NASCAR’s national development ladder.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
Across his ARCA Racing Series and ARCA Menards Series career, Moffitt has notched a career-best finish of fourth at Memphis in 2020 and recorded his first top-ten at Toledo Speedway in 2018. His consistency in the series has been a hallmark of his development.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond ARCA, Moffitt earned six top-ten finishes in the 2023 Trans Am Series TA2 class, with a best result of second at the Detroit Street Circuit, capping a season that ended seventh in the class standings. His Truck Series campaign in 2022 and 2024 added valuable superspeedway and intermediate track experience.
Thad Moffitt Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Moffitt is the grandson of NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Richard Petty, often called The King of NASCAR, and the son of Brian Moffitt and Rebecca Petty-Moffitt. His maternal family includes some of the most recognized names in stock car history, providing a direct link to the heart of the sport.
Personal Life
Despite his famous last name connection, Moffitt is not related to fellow NASCAR competitor Brett Moffitt. He has balanced his racing schedule with online schooling, and in 2019, he traveled to England to drive a 1981 edition of his grandfather Richard Petty’s racecar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
2025 Season Performance
Moffitt began 2025 with a full-time ARCA Menards Series commitment at Nitro Motorsports, returning to the organization that has fielded Toyotas across multiple national series. The early part of the year offered a chance to log laps and build momentum with a competitive team.
On June 10, 2025, Nitro Motorsports announced that Moffitt would shift to a part-time schedule to make room for Treyten Lapcevich in the team’s No. 70 entry. Despite the change, Moffitt remained focused on delivering strong runs in his selected ARCA events.
Looking ahead, Moffitt is expected to continue developing his stock car career, with eyes on securing additional opportunities in NASCAR’s national series. His combination of family heritage, perseverance, and growing on-track experience positions him as a driver to watch in the seasons to come.