CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former NASCAR driver and racing analyst Kyle Petty is hitting the open road once again to lead the 28th Anniversary Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America – one of the most popular charity rides in the country.
From May 4–10, Petty will lead 150 motorcycles across nine states on a seven-day trek, covering more than 2,100 miles in an effort to raise funds and awareness for Victory Junction – a camp dedicated to providing life-changing camping experiences for children with serious and chronic medical conditions.
Presented by Cox Automotive, the Ride will kick-off in Deadwood, S.D., on May 4 and will end in Greensboro, N.C. on May 10 with a celebratory homecoming at Victory Junction.
“Our team is beyond excited to host Kyle and the riders at Manheim Indianapolis for breakfast during their 28th Anniversary route,” said Chuck Werner, general manager for the Louisville-Indianapolis Market Center. “It means so much for us to be included in this inspiring event and we look forward to helping the Ride send many deserving kids to Victory Junction.”
Petty has a jam-packed route planned for the ride’s 250 participants, including 30 new riders. Petty has coined this adventure “The AmerICON Ride,” to pay homage to the iconic American attractions featured on this year’s ride. Some of the highlights include visiting Mount Rushmore National Monument, stopping at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, exploring Churchill Downs – home of the Kentucky Derby, touring the legendary National Corvette Museum, visiting Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and more.
Full Schedule
• Day 1, Saturday, May 4 – Deadwood, South Dakota to North Platte, Nebraska
• Day 2, Sunday, May 5 – North Platte, Nebraska to Omaha, Nebraska
• Day 3, Monday, May 6 – Omaha, Nebraska to Bettendorf, Iowa
• Day 4, Tuesday, May 7 – Bettendorf, Iowa to Indianapolis, Indiana
• Day 5, Wednesday, May 8 – Indianapolis, Indiana to Bowling Green, Kentucky
• Day 6, Thursday, May 9 – Bowling Green, Kentucky to Bristol, Virginia
• Day 7, Friday, May 10 – Bristol, Virginia to Greensboro, North Carolina
“This year marks the 20th Anniversary of Victory Junction, so I immediately knew we had to bring the ride back to camp to celebrate this incredible milestone. After all, the ride has been there since Victory Junction’s inception, as a founding supporter in 2004, and has remained the largest cumulative donor,” said Petty.
“From riding the Black Hills of South Dakota and crossing the mighty Mississippi River to visiting iconic American landmarks, we are going to experience some truly incredible places on this year’s ride, but none more so than ending back ‘home’ at Victory Junction – where we can see so many deserving kids light up with happiness and experience the magic that lives at camp.”
Victory Junction has served as the ride’s primary beneficiary since its establishment by Petty and his family in 2004 in honor of his late son, Adam. Since it first began in 1995, the ride has raised more than $21 million for Victory Junction and other children’s charities. As a result, the Ride has helped Victory Junction mobilize resources to provide over 115,000 camp experiences for children of all levels of abilities who are living with complex medical conditions at no cost to their families.
Among the celebrities participating in this year’s ride are NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Hershel McGriff; former NASCAR drivers Max Papis, David Ragan, Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace; former NFL great and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker and TV personalities Rick Allen and Rutledge Wood.