Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America raises nearly $2 million

NASCAR legend Kyle Petty raised over $1.7 million through his Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America journey, which concluded its 27th ride earlier this month.

More than 125 people joined Petty on the motorcycle adventure in Nevada and Utah from April 29 to May 5. The seven-day journey made stops in Ely, Tonopah, Las Vegas, Cedar City and Moab while being bookended by its start and finish in Salt Lake City.

“We had a phenomenal Ride! But I knew all along that Nevada and Utah would not disappoint. These are two of the most beautiful states to ride motorcycles in,” Petty said in a statement. “Everywhere we stopped, we were greeted with open arms from fans near and far. And we also had a handful of Victory Junction campers come out to see us along our route. Seeing their excitement and gratitude for our riders is incredible. It really puts into perspective what and who we are riding for. All of our miles lead to all of their smiles!”

The funds raised go towards the Victory Junction camp in Randleman, North Carolina, which has programs for children with chronic illnesses. The camp was started in 2004 by the Petty family in honor of Kyle’s late son Adam, who died during a racing accident at the age of 19 in 2000.

Over $21 million has been raised for Victory Junction and other causes since the first ride back in 1995.

Petty was joined by other notable NASCAR names on the ride, including his father Richard “The King” Petty. Others on the journey include three-time Daytona 500 pole winner Ken Schrader, three-time NASCAR Busch Series Most Popular Driver winner Kenny Wallace and NBC Sports play-by-play announcer for NASCAR Rick Allen.

Kyle Petty won eight races over his 30-year career on the NASCAR Cup Series, including two fifth place overall finishes during the 1992 and 1993 seasons. In 829 races, he finished with 173 top tens.

He retired from the tour in 2008 and now works as a broadcaster.

Randleman and nearby unincorporated community of Level Cross is the home of the Petty racing family. Randleman is where Lee Petty — Kyle’s grandfather — and Richard Petty are both from originally.

The Richard Petty Museum has been located in both Randleman and Level Cross but currently has its home in Level Cross. Level Cross was also the base of the former race driving team, Petty Enterprises.