Organizers for the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America announced Tuesday that this year’s edition raised $1.3 million for the Victory Junction Camp for children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses.
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This year’s Ride, the 24th edition of the charity fundraiser, wound roughly 1,200 miles from Maine to North Carolina over seven days, ending with a May 11 celebration at the camp in Randleman. Several figures from the NASCAR community rode along, lending their support to Petty’s philanthropic mission.
The tour visited a pair of NASCAR tracks — New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway — along the way. Petty indicated that the New Hampshire stop was particularly emotional; his son, Adam, lost his life at the track in May 2000.
“From lapping the track at New Hampshire to our homecoming at Victory Junction, this year’s Ride was a little bittersweet,” Petty said in a news release. “It was more emotional for me this year than past Rides because we ended at Camp. I’ve said it a million times – when I see a camper, I see Adam in their smile and I know he’s still here with us. And there were campers everywhere as we pulled into Camp.”
Funds from the charity ride have directly benefited Victory Junction since its opening in 2004. The camp, which is open year-round to benefit medically fragile children, was founded to honor the memory of Adam Petty.
Seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty participated in this year’s ride. joining legends Harry Gant, Donnie Allison, Ricky Craven and Hershel McGriff. Other celebrities offering their support: Front Row Motorsports’ David Ragan, Heisman Trophy winners Herschel Walker and George Rogers, and NBC Sports colleagues Krista Voda, Rutledge Wood and Rick Allen.