 And on this date in 1964, U.S. President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law. The act made it illegal in the U.S. to discriminate against others because of their race. Richard Petty, 87 years old, NASCAR driver who won the Daytona 500 seven times over the course of his legendary career. His racing team, Richard Petty Motorsports, became one of the most successful teams on the circuit.