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The Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America is an annual, cross-country motorcycle ride that travels to raise awareness and funds for Victory Junction, a camp created to enrich the lives of children with chronic or life-threatening medical illnesses. One of the most successful and popular charity events in the country, the Ride engages celebrities, sponsors, motorcycle enthusiasts, fans and local communities. The Ride was founded in 1995 by NASCAR driver Kyle Petty.
The Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America is a week-long motorcycle trek through various cities nationwide. Since the Ride began in 1995, more than 7,950 riders have logged 11.6 million cumulative motorcycle miles and raised $17.5 million for Victory Junction and other children's charities.
Since its inception by Kyle in 2004 in honor of his late son Adam, Victory Junction has served as the Ride's primary beneficiary. Located on 84 acres in Randleman, North Carolina, Victory Junction exists to enrich the lives of children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses by creating camping experiences that are memorable, fun, empowering, physically safe and medically sound. As a result of the Ride, 7,985 children have attended Victory Junction at no cost to their families. Every week of summer, up to 120 kids can go to the camp for 5 days.
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; thus the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America was born. [1]
Over the years, many celebrities have participated in the ride, including many NASCAR legends and personalities like Richard Petty, Donnie Allison, Harry Gant, Hershel McGriff, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth. Other notable riders have included John Boy and Billy, Paul Teutul Sr., Rutledge Wood, Davis Love III, Herschel Walker, and Brad Daugherty.
There was one event casualty: in 2020 when the Ride was cancelled on COVID-19 pandemic grounds.
Richard Lee Petty, nicknamed "The King", is an American former stock car racing driver who raced from 1958 to 1992 in the former NASCAR Grand National and Winston Cup Series, most notably driving the No. 43 Plymouth/Pontiac for Petty Enterprises. He was the first driver to win the Cup Series championship seven times, while also winning a record 200 races during his career. This included winning the Daytona 500 a record seven times and winning a record 27 races in one season (1967). Statistically, he is the most accomplished driver in the history of the sport, and is one of the most respected figures in motorsports as a whole. Petty remains very active in the sport as both a NASCAR team owner in the Cup Series, and owner of Petty's Garage in Level Cross, North Carolina.
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