NASCAR Day was a major fundraiser for Kyle and Pattie Petty's Victory Junction Gang Camp. Credit: Autostock

Pettys grateful to fans for NASCAR Day turnout

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- The inaugural "NASCAR Day" on Aug. 20 proved the power and reach of a mass mobilization of fans of the sport of NASCAR racing to support a charitable cause.

The prime beneficiary of the first event of its kind, whereby people pledged a $5 donation in exchange for the right to wear NASCAR themed apparel on NASCAR Day, was the Victory Junction Gang Camp for chronically and terminally ill children in Randleman, N.C.

Kyle Petty

Nextel Cup Series driver and team owner Kyle Petty and his wife Pattie founded the camp in memory of their son Adam Petty, who was killed in May 2000 in a crash during a Busch Series practice session at New Hampshire International Speedway.

The camp, which opened in June, was built on Petty family land, and Adam Petty's grandfather, Richard Petty has been an integral part of the camp's administration.

NASCAR Day was seen as a major plus by both of the racing Pettys.

"It was huge, just huge," Kyle Petty said. "I think it far exceeded our expectations, from a camp perspective. Just the fact that NASCAR got behind it, and that it was NASCAR Day, and so many fans participated in it.

"I went to Goodyear's corporate headquarters in Akron (Ohio) and I didn't walk through the factory and the offices and not see somebody who had a NASCAR Day pin on. They were excited about it.

"So many companies got behind it and that's pretty special to think that NASCAR and the fans and the camp have all come together for one thing. To do it in this day and time, when this sport is just exploding in popularity (made it) a big first year, and I only see it getting bigger and bigger every year."

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The entire concept of NASCAR Day was mind-boggling to the Pettys.

"No," Richard Petty said, chuckling, when asked if he could have imagined a national NASCAR Day when he was in the midst of a career that counted 200 race victories and seven championships.

"That's really beyond the scheme of things, you know what I mean? As far as racing progressing, and the money and tracks -- you envisioned some of that -- (even though) maybe not being as big as it is.

"But when you take the whole United States and say, 'We're going to have a NASCAR Day.' Well, that's a pretty big deal."

"Maybe (I could have imagined) a NASCAR Day in the city of Charlotte or the city of Daytona (Beach, Fla.)," Kyle said. "Or in Bristol, Tenn. And we've even had some states that declared it NASCAR Day, or Richard Petty Day, or Dale Earnhardt Day -- whatever, and that was pretty big.

Kyle Petty

"But to have a national promotion, where it was a national NASCAR Day, and fans from Spokane, Wash., to Key West, Fla., were able to wear their favorite driver's stuff -- I know (because) I wore Tony Stewart stuff on (Aug. 20).

"That's something we do every day so maybe we take it for granted, but at the same time they could help the camp help a good cause."

Kyle Petty said NASCAR Day capped a great inaugural year for the Victory Junction Gang Camp.

"We had a phenomenal year," Petty said. "I think it far exceeded any expectations. So many people, so many fans, so many drivers, so many sponsors and so many corporations built the camp, and then you said, 'man, what a cool place.'

"But it's kind of like going to Daytona (International Speedway) when there's no cars there. Yeah, it's a cool place, but put some cars on the racetrack and it's a phenomenal place.

"When you put kids at the camp, you don't even pay any attention to any of the buildings. We might as well be in tents, because you pay no attention to the buildings -- the kids just take over everything with their attitudes, their spirit -- and it pretty much permeates through the whole camp.

"I don't think I could have imagined that, even though I'd been to a lot of other camps, so it was just a great summer for our counselors and volunteers and kids. You kind of hated to see it end, but hopefully we'll be back next year with more campers and a lot more weeks.

Kyle Petty

"Instead of six or seven weeks we'll probably see 15 or 16 weeks next year, but it will definitely be bigger."

Kyle Petty said the camp's greatest legacy was that it provided so much joy to children and their parents, who are burdened with such a seemingly painful load.

He cited the example of Nextel Cup crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr., who when his father was killed in a NASCAR Modified race on Aug. 19, asked that in lieu of flowers, that memorial donations be made in Tom Baldwin's name to the Victory Junction Gang Camp.

"It makes me wonder, but that's the amazing part," Kyle said. "With all that Tommy Baldwin Jr. was going through, his family thinks of the camp -- and that just totally amazes me.

"I think (the Petty family) looked at it the same way. With all we went through with Adam, we knew that something good could come out of it. Because of what's happened, kids have been able to come to camp.

"So many people knew Adam, and they've rallied behind that. Why have so many people helped? Because they knew Adam and that created a connection, especially among the competitors because they had seen me bring Adam to the racetrack since he was little.

"And (last weekend) Tommy Baldwin Jr. looked at it and said, 'out of this, we can send kids to camp -- a kid on chemo or with hemophilia or a kid that's been burnt to camp.' And so much good will come out of that.

"When you look at it, you can see there are a lot of caring, giving people and you can turn some negatives into positives if you just look in the right places."