For well over a century, they have been the high-flying signals that have both started and finished hundreds of thousands of races around the world. Their very appearance in motorsports competitions has both sealed legend-making victories and shattered the winning dreams of others. And perhaps their most important but less-heralded...

Richard Petty, the most decorated driver in the history of NASCAR, will start the August race weekend in Watkins Glen by receiving the Cameron R. Argetsinger Award for Outstanding Contributions to Motorsports, sponsored by the International Motor Racing Research Center.Petty, who earned a record 200 career races and seven NASCAR...