Kyle Petty Charity Ride Celebrates its 26th Anniversary
For nearly three decades, former NASCAR driver and NBC Sports racing analyst Kyle Petty has rallied fellow motorcycle enthusiasts to join the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America. “The Ride,” as it has been deemed, is one of the most successful and popular charity events in the country. Since the charity’s formation in 1994, over 8,600 riders have raised more than $19 million for Victory Junction and other children’s charities.
Co-founded by Kyle Petty and his family in honor of his son Adam, Victory Junction provides life-changing camping experiences in medically safe environments. They are exciting, fun, empowering, and always free of charge. In addition to traditional camp sessions, Victory Junction’s REACH program takes the camping experience to children and their families at hospitals, clinics, and in Ronald McDonald Houses throughout North and South Carolina.
The Ride is scheduled for Saturday, April 30 – Friday, May 6, 2022. Kyle and 225 riders will complete the Ride’s most scenic routes yet, covering more than 1,500 miles to raise money for Victory Junction. Among the celebrities participating in this year’s Ride are NASCAR Hall of Famer and seven-time champion Richard Petty, NASCAR legends Harry Gant, Hershel McGriff, Donnie Allison and Ken Schrader, and NBC Sports NASCAR personality Rick Allen.
“We’ve been planning this 26th Anniversary Ride since the end of our 2019 event, and patiently waiting for the right time to gather again amidst the coronavirus pandemic. So now, nearly three years in the making, I’m beyond thrilled to finally get our riders back together for an exciting adventure in Arizona and Utah,” said Petty. “This year’s Ride is all about stopping to see some of the beautiful places we’ve ridden by in the past, mixed with a few new places for our Riders to explore. Together, we will create memories to last a lifetime. And it’s all for the kids at Victory Junction! We ride so that deserving kids get to experience the magic of Camp.”
The 2022 route includes lapping the track at Phoenix Raceway, riding historic Routt 66, visiting the Grand Canyon National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, seeing Grand Staircase Escalante and Humpries Peak.
26th Anniversary Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America Schedule:
- Day 1, Saturday, April 30 – Phoenix, Arizona to Lake Havasu City, Arizona
- Day 2, Sunday, May 1 – Lake Havasu City, Arizona to Flagstaff, Arizona
- Day 3, Monday, May 2 – Flagstaff, Arizona to Bryce Canyon City, Utah
- Day 4, Tuesday, May 3 – Free Day
- Day 5, Wednesday, May 4 – Bryce Canyon City, Utah to Monument Valley, Utah
- Day 6, Thursday, May 5 – Monument Valley, Utah to Sedona, Arizona
- Day 7, Friday, May 6 – Sedona, Arizona to Phoenix, Arizona
Campers will join different spots around the route to rally the riders. Spectators along the route are encouraged to attend one of the Ride’s seven overnight stops or daily fuel stops to greet Petty and the riders, make donations and score memorabilia.
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 2004, Victory Junction has delivered more than 100,000 camping experiences for children with serious illnesses and chronic medical conditions in all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and a few other countries. Victory Junction is a member of the Serious Fun Children’s Network of Camps founded by Paul Newman and is accredited by the American Camp Association.
