Kyle Petty’s Charity Ride Across America

NASCAR Drivers

Making a pit stop in the Southwest for a good cause

BY CAROL KAHN

FFor seven days, 225 participants will be riding on 125 motorcycles, traveling over 1,500 miles throughout two states.

Beginning in Phoenix on April 30 and culminating on May 6 back in Phoenix — former NASCAR driver and NBC Sports racing analyst, Kyle Petty, along with his father racing legend, Richard Petty and 225 motorcycle riders will venture off on a Southwestern adventure through Arizona and Utah for a good cause. Kyle Petty’s Charity Ride Across America is set for its 26th anniversary Southwestern Adventure. After being postponed twice, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the riders will complete one of the ride’s most scenic routes, traveling more than 1,500 miles to raise money and awareness for Victory Junction, a camp that began in 2004 for children with serious medical illnesses.

“This is the longest ride we've ever planned. Because we've been working on this ride since mid 2019 and again in 2020. And we're finally getting to do it,” Petty said. “So, my dad's coming with us [NASCAR Hall of Famer and seven-time champion Richard Petty], NASCAR legends Harry Gant, Hershel McGriff, Donnie Allison, Ken Schrader; and NBC Sports NASCAR personality Rick Allen — and 225 of my good friends that will come along — there's a pack of us for sure.” The inspiration for the ride came in 1994, when Petty and three friends rode their motorcycles from North Carolina to a NASCAR race at Phoenix International Raceway. Friends joined the ride along the way, and by the time the group reached Phoenix, it had grown to 30 riders. The turnout inspired Petty, and he decided to nurture the event into something bigger, hence, the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America was born. On previous rides throughout the years, Petty says that they have gone from Seattle to Key Largo, Florida and continued to Key West – just to say they had completed the longest ride across America. This year, the group decided that they wanted to do a southwest tour beginning and ending in Phoenix. It’s a first for the riders who have been doing this for 25 years. “So we just made a loop and we decided we would go from Lake Havasu to Flagstaff, Flagstaff up

through the Grand Canyon and up to Bryce, then we're going over to Monument Valley, and then back down to Sedona, and then back to Phoenix. We've never done a ride like that,” Petty said. “I mean, we have always left the west coast and gone to the east coast or left the north and gone to the south and just kept going, but this is a different deal.”

THE CAUSE: VICTORY JUNCTION Petty started Victory Junction in 2000 in honor of his son Adam who, at age 19, was tragically killed in a practice round during the Busch 200 race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It was the younger Petty’s dream to build a camp for children with challenging medical conditions. At that time, the Pettys enlisted the help of actor and motorsports enthusiast, Paul Newman, who had founded Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for terminally ill children. Petty serves as the chairman of the board, visiting when the camp is in session. “I try to stop by and see the kids and see everybody. Camp is still a huge, huge part of my life and that's what this ride is all about. And the thing is, it's our responsibility as caretakers for those kids and for that generation, to be able to give something back to them and that is what our camps are all about,” Petty stated. “We just continue to raise money and try to get as many kids as possible at camp.” Since its inception, more than 8,650 riders have logged 12.4 million cumulative motorcycle miles and raised more than $19 million for Victory Junction as well as other children’s charities.

Victory Junction is a year-round camp for children aged six to 16. The activities and environment provide life-changing camping experiences. And even though it costs more than $2,500 for one child to attend Victory Junction for a week, no child or family incurs the cost.

Because of the charity ride, more than 8,210 children have attended Victory Junction. On its 25th Anniversary in 2019, the ride raised $1.7 million and sent 128 children to camp that year. Located in Randleman, North Carolina, campers participate in arts and crafts, archery, swimming, boating, fishing, horseback riding, woodshop, music and theatre all in a special NASCAR-themed program area.

FOUR GENERATIONS OF RACE CAR DRIVERS The Petty name is steeped in racing royalty and NASCAR history. His father Richard Petty and his grandfather Lee Petty were racing legends. Born in 1960, Kyle Petty grew up in rural Randleman, North Carolina. “It was home to tobacco farmers, dairy farmers, chicken farmers, everybody was in agriculture or mill towns… I went to school with plenty of second, third and probably fourth generation farmers, because that's what they grew up doing … their dad did it; their granddad did it. So that's what they did. And I never thought about doing anything else but [race car driving], because my granddad did it. My dad did it. And it was right there next to us in our backyard, and that's what we did. You just walked out the house and there were race cars. So, I just never thought about it.” Petty says that his grandmother worked in a mill and his grandfather was a cabinet maker and carpenter. On his father’s side, they were “just a bunch of mechanics.” “We just happened to ride around and get to race cars. Six days a week we worked on cars, and then you just got to race one. We were just mechanics. Yeah, we

weren't owed anything. We were like everybody else — you worked hard for what you ended up with.” Petty said that he never felt privileged. His father drove a race car and was gone four or five days most weeks. “I started traveling an early age and just went all over the country with him, my mom and my sisters and that's how we grew up. So, that's not normal, but that was normal to me. Riding in a rented car from seven o'clock at night until seven o'clock the next morning and then having to go to high school. That's not normal for most people, but that's what we did. I've been very blessed to know and meet people that make life-changing decisions for this country and in the world. I've been very blessed to meet people that would At the age of 61, Petty says that he has had several aha moments in his life. “My uncle was killed when I was 14 in a pit crew accident in Daytona and then when Adam's accident happened — life's short. And you realize it. It wakes you up and you realize, you just need to live every day. And some things you thought were important at that time are not important anymore. So, I think moments like that create and make you think and show you things that otherwise you probably would never understand to that depth,” he said. Petty goes on to explain that his biggest aha moment has been with his wife Morgan. “You find love even when you're not looking for it. I think it finds you and that's an aha moment for me.”

spend their last $45 on a ticket to go to a racetrack and watch you ride around in circles. What my life afforded me is the opportunity to just meet people and that has been the greatest thing.” Petty’s last race was in 2008 and when he officially retired. However, he is still involved by commentating for NASCAR on NBC Sports. He says there are moments when he does miss racing. “Yes, I miss driving and then I don't miss it. I don't miss the politics — but I miss the act of driving a race car … I get to go to the racetrack, see the race people, see everything I want to see and all the people that I have always known. But at the same time, I don't get to go out to do what I want to do, which is drive a race car. So yeah, I do miss that part,” Petty said. “Man, I'd love to jump back in there. But you reach that point where it's a tipping point. Basically, it’s a three-letter word — age — you just get old, man.” FAMILY LIFE Petty has three older children from a previous marriage and has been married to his current wife since 2015. They have two boys, ages four and two with another on the way, which is due in July. When asked if he would encourage his sons to race cars, he said that he would support them no matter what they wanted to do. “If they want to be farmers, I will help them in any way possible. If they want to be writers, or they wanted to work at a grocery store. If they want to go to school and be doctors. I will help them in any way possible. I will encourage their dreams, but their dreams are not my dreams. And that's the way my parents raised us and is how we've lived our life. They helped all my sisters to reach their goals and to be the things that they wanted to be, and they always helped me — so I was very fortunate. I was very fortunate to pass that on to Adam and his brother, Austin and my daughter Montgomery Lee. And that's the way they live their lives and that's the way these kids will live theirs — I pray.” Petty says that he may be 61, but he is still a kid at heart. “I'm telling you, I might be 61 but with these little boys I'm 14. We went to a trampoline park the other day, and I was doing flips for them on the trampoline. This guy says, “how old are you?” I said 61. He said, “you're 61 and you can do a flip on the trampoline?” I told him that I just found out I could. I just gave it a shot,” Petty said laughing. “I think my aha is — Yeah, your body gets old. Yes, no doubt. But your mind and your heart never get old.” For more information on Kyle Petty’s ride and to view their exact location during their Southwest Adventure, visit www.kylepettycharityride.com