Thad Moffitt Bio
Thaddeus Drake Moffitt, known professionally as Thad Moffitt, is an American professional stock car racing driver born on September 12, 2000, in Trinity, North Carolina. He last competed part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 46/70 Toyota for Nitro Motorsports, and previously raced in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. As the grandson of NASCAR Hall of Fame legend Richard Petty, Moffitt carries one of the most famous surnames in American motorsports while continuing to build his own path through the sport.
Early Life and Background
Thad Moffitt was born in Trinity, North Carolina, to Brian Moffitt and Rebecca Petty-Moffitt. His mother, Rebecca, is the youngest daughter of Richard Petty, making Thad a direct grandson of the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. Growing up in a deeply rooted racing family, Moffitt was surrounded by stories of stock car heritage from an early age. He attended Wheatmore High School before deciding to switch to online schooling midway through his high school career to better accommodate his racing schedule.
Throughout his childhood, Moffitt played football and participated in other organized sports. In his mid-teens, he began competing in kart racing, which sparked his interest in pursuing motorsports at a higher level. Family members offered advice when asked but wanted him to develop his skills independently, helping shape his self-reliant approach behind the wheel.
Path to NASCAR
Moffitt cut his teeth in go-karts at age fourteen and later moved up to quarter midgets and limited late models, racing at regional tracks such as Caraway Speedway and Ace Speedway. In 2016, he captured the Southeast Limited Late Model Series Challenger Division championship and won his first late model race earlier that same year. These early accomplishments established him as a promising young talent in the Southeast short-track scene.
His first major national-level opportunity arrived in April 2017, when Moffitt made his ARCA Racing Series debut at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, driving a car reminiscent of one his grandfather Richard Petty had driven for Empire Racing, a satellite team of Richard Petty Motorsports. He ran three ARCA races that season, posting a best finish of eleventh at Lucas Oil Raceway. The debut marked his transition from regional late models to NASCAR’s developmental ladder.
Thad Moffitt Career
Early Career (2017-2019)
Moffitt’s first three ARCA starts in 2017 introduced him to the national touring format and helped him gain valuable experience on a variety of tracks. In early 2018, he tested at Daytona International Speedway and announced a partial schedule that included Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, Pocono Raceway, and Lucas Oil Raceway. At Salem Speedway that year, he was involved in two on-track incidents but rebounded with his first ARCA top ten at Toledo, showing resilience and steady improvement.
Through 2019, Moffitt continued refining his craft in the ARCA ranks and other regional events, balancing his education with an increasingly demanding racing calendar. In 2019, he traveled to England to drive a 1981 edition of his grandfather Richard Petty’s racecar at the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed, gaining international exposure and a memorable connection to his family’s legacy.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2020-2021)
On January 9, 2020, it was announced that Moffitt would join DGR-Crosley for the season-opening ARCA race at Daytona, with plans to run the full schedule until sponsorship ran dry. He delivered three top-five finishes across thirteen races, highlighted by a career-best fourth-place run at Memphis. The season firmly established him as a consistent front-runner in the series.
In January 2021, Moffitt returned to ARCA with the renamed David Gilliland Racing team, competing in nearly every race that year. He posted a best ARCA Menards Series finish of fourth in the 2021 standings, a career-best championship result, while also making select starts in the ARCA Menards Series East and West. His 2021 campaign demonstrated his ability to contend regularly at the front of the field.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2022-2024)
On February 10, 2022, Moffitt was announced as a driver for Reaume Brothers Racing in collaboration with GMS Racing, making his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut at Daytona in a paint scheme that paid tribute to Richard Petty’s 1992 retirement season. The debut connected his family heritage with his national-series arrival.
On December 9, 2023, Moffitt was announced as the full-time driver for the new NASCAR team Faction46, driving the No. 46 Chevrolet for the 2024 season. On June 28, 2024, prior to the race at Nashville Superspeedway, Moffitt experienced a medical emergency, and the team substituted Dawson Cram in the No. 46 truck. On July 8, 2024, Faction46 team owner Lane Moore officially shut down the team due to financial constraints, and on July 10, 2024, Young’s Motorsports announced that Moffitt would drive the No. 46 at Pocono Raceway and the remainder of the 2024 season. He finished the year 32nd in the Truck Series points standings.
Nitro Motorsports Era (2025-Present)
On January 7, 2025, it was announced that Moffitt would return to running ARCA full time with Nitro Motorsports, driving the No. 46 Toyota. On June 10, 2025, it was revealed that Moffitt would scale back to a part-time role with Nitro so the team could make room for Treyten Lapcevich and their No. 70 entry. He has since split time between the No. 46 and No. 70 Toyotas, continuing to chase top finishes in the ARCA Menards Series.
Trans Am Series (2023)
In 2023, Moffitt ran the 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, with a best result of second at the second Detroit Street Circuit race, and finished seventh in the TA2 class standings for the year.
Driving Style and Strengths
Moffitt has shown strength on short tracks and intermediate speedways, where his late-model background helps him maintain consistent lap times over long runs. His race craft has developed through years of ARCA competition, and he is known for his patience and ability to rebound from on-track incidents. Working with established teams like DGR-Crosley, David Gilliland Racing, and Nitro Motorsports has allowed him to refine his strategic approach and feedback with crew chiefs.
Notable Races and Milestones
His 2016 Southeast Limited Late Model Series Challenger Division championship was an early career milestone, followed by his 2017 ARCA debut at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in a Petty tribute car. His career-best ARCA finish of fourth came at Memphis in 2020, and his 2024 Truck Series ride with the Faction46 No. 46 Chevrolet marked his first full-time national NASCAR schedule.
Thad Moffitt Career Wins
As of his last verified starts, Thad Moffitt has not recorded a national-series victory in ARCA or the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. His competitive results have been built on consistency, with multiple top-five and top-ten finishes across ARCA’s national and regional tours. His most notable achievements remain his 2016 Southeast Limited Late Model championship and his 2021 ARCA Menards Series best championship finish of fourth.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
Moffitt has made more than thirty ARCA Menards Series starts, with 32 top-ten finishes and no wins recorded in the series. His best championship result was fourth in 2021, while his career-best single-race finish was fourth at Memphis in 2020. He has also recorded three top-tens in both the ARCA Menards Series East and ARCA Menards Series West.
Other Wins and Performances
Moffitt’s standout non-ARCA result came in the 2023 Trans Am Series, where he finished seventh in the TA2 class standings with six top-tens and a best finish of second at the Detroit Street Circuit. His early Southeast Limited Late Model championship in 2016 remains a foundational achievement in his career.
Thad Moffitt Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Thad Moffitt’s racing heritage runs through his mother, Rebecca Petty-Moffitt, the youngest daughter of NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Richard Petty. His father is Brian Moffitt. The Petty name is among the most storied in stock car racing history, and Thad has spoken about how family members offered advice when requested while encouraging him to develop his own identity as a driver. Despite sharing the same last name, he is not related to fellow NASCAR competitor Brett Moffitt.
Personal Life
Moffitt was raised in Trinity, North Carolina, and attended Wheatmore High School before switching to online schooling to focus on racing. He played football and other sports during his childhood before committing to motorsports. In 2019, he traveled to England to drive his grandfather’s 1981 racecar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, a memorable experience that connected him to his family’s global racing legacy.
2025 Season Performance
Thad Moffitt’s 2025 season began with the announcement on January 7 that he would return to ARCA on a full-time basis with Nitro Motorsports in the No. 46 Toyota. He opened the year pursuing consistent top-ten finishes and strong runs across the ARCA Menards Series schedule, including appearances in the East and West regional tours. His early-season form suggested momentum toward another competitive year in the series.
On June 10, 2025, it was revealed that Moffitt would scale back to a part-time role with Nitro Motorsports as the team made room for Treyten Lapcevich and their No. 70 entry. He has since split driving duties between the No. 46 and No. 70 Toyotas, continuing to chase top results in the ARCA Menards Series while adapting to a reduced schedule.