Times should have covered Petty’s Ride Across America

Editor,

I feel somebody dropped the ball in the April 30 issue of the Gunnison Country Times. 

There was no mention of Kyle Petty’s Ride Across America charity ride to support Victory Junction being here on Sunday, May 3, at Jorgenson Park.

This event should have been more of a community event.

I only found out about it from a friend who also follows NASCAR.

This year's ride features a group of approximately 150 motorcycle enthusiasts accumulating nearly 3,400 miles in a trek that runs from Sonoma, California, to back home in Charlotte, North Carolina, in just nine days, all to raise money for children with serious medical conditions.

This year, NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty is with the group, and then they will have former NASCAR veterans Clint Bowyer, David Ragan, Ken Schrader, Kenny Wallace along with NASCAR Vice President Mike Helton booking ending this year's journey. 

In 1995, NASCAR driver Kyle Petty combined his passion for helping others with his love of motorcycles to create the ride across America, one of the most successful and popular charity events in the country. 

The annual motorcycle trek engages celebrities, sponsors, motorcycle enthusiasts, fans and local communities to raise funds and awareness for Victory Junction. 

Since 1995, 9,350 riders have logged more than 13.1 million cumulative motorcycle miles and raised more than $23 million for Victory Junction and other charities that support chronically ill children.

Over the years, the ride has visited 48 of the 50 states

Since Victory Junction's inception by Kyle in 2004 in honor of his late son Adam, Victory Junction has served as a primary beneficiary. Victory Junction is located on 84 acres in Randleman, North Carolina. Victory Junction exists to enrich the lives of children with chronic or serious mental illness by creating camping experiences that are memorable, fun, empowering, physically safe and medically sound.

It takes more than $2,500 for a child to attend Victory Junction for a week. But through the generous support of corporations, organizations and individuals each camper participates for free. To date the Kyle Petty charity Ride Across America remains the largest cumulative donor to Victory Junction funding campsites for deserving kids and maintenance needs to to upkeep the Kyle Petty Charity ride water Park at the camp.

Claire Veech

Editor’s note: Thank you for your comments, Claire. We regret not covering this event in advance.