200 riders hit the road on annual cross-country trek from the Palm Desert to the Gulf Coast to raise funds and send deserving kids to Victory Junction
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 29, 2016 – The Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America, one of the most successful and popular charity rides in the country, is revving up for its 22nd anniversary motorcycle trek, taking place from April 30 to May 6. Former NASCAR driver and NBC Sports racing analyst Kyle Petty will lead 200 bikers on a 2,150-mile route, traveling from Palm Springs to Biloxi, to raise funds and awareness for Victory Junction – a camp dedicated to providing life-changing camping experiences for children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses.
“We ride every mile, from the Palm Desert to the Gulf Coast and all the incredible miles in between, first and foremost for the children at Victory Junction,” said Petty. “Each year, the Ride creates lasting memories and gives riders the chance to check items off their travel bucket lists. This year will include the Ride’s first visit to Big Bend National Park.”
Fans are encouraged to come support the cause and greet riders at one of the Ride’s seven overnight stops or daily pit stops. Spectators along the route may also purchase memorabilia or contribute to the Ride’s “Small Change. Big Impact.” program, which accepts donations at each stop.
22nd Anniversary Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America Schedule:
(Information about scheduled pit stops can be found on the Ride’s Facebook page.)
- Day 1, Saturday, April 30 – Palm Springs, California to Phoenix, Arizona
- Day 2, Sunday, May 1 – Phoenix, Arizona to El Paso, Texas
- Day 3, Monday, May 2 – El Paso, Texas to Lajitas, Texas
- Day 4, Tuesday, May 3 – Lajitas, Texas to San Antonio, Texas
- Day 5, Wednesday, May 4 – San Antonio, Texas
- Day 6, Thursday, May 5 – San Antonio, Texas to Beaumont, Texas
- Day 7, Friday, May 6 – Beaumont, Texas to Biloxi, Mississippi
As a result of the Ride, more than 7,880 children have attended Victory Junction at no cost to their families. The camp 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.
This year’s Ride will feature several celebrity riders, including NASCAR Hall of Famer and seven time champion Richard Petty, 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Hershel McGriff, NASCAR legends Harry Gant and Donnie Allison, former NFL great Herschel Walker, retired Lieutenant Colonel Allen West, and NBC Sports NASCAR personalities Rick Allen and Rutledge Wood.
“Cruising the open road with friends who become family is incredible, but helping to create life-changing opportunities for children is what makes the Ride truly one of the most popular motorcycle rides in the country,” said Kyle’s father Richard Petty.
The 2016 Ride is made possible by presenting sponsor Manheim, as well as Coca-Cola, FCA Fleet, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Racing Electronics, FLUIDYNE Racing Products, WinCraft Racing, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Petty Family Foundation, Headbands of Hope, Original Bike Spirits, the Beef Jerky Outlet, ArticBlu and Goody’s.
“Manheim is proud to sponsor the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America again this year. We can’t think of a better way to support the meaningful work Victory Junction is doing and the difference it is making in the lives of children with chronic illnesses,” said Janet Barnard, president, Manheim North America. “This year, we are especially excited to host stops at two of our operating locations—Manheim Phoenix and Manheim San Antonio. Our teams look forward to seeing all of the families along the route who come out to support the ride.”
To keep up with Petty and the riders live, follow along on social media:
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/kpcharityride and www.facebook.com/kylepetty45
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/kpcharityride and www.instagram.com/kylepetty
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/kpcharityride and www.twitter.com/kylepetty
For more information about the 22nd Anniversary Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America or to make a donation, please visit www.kylepettycharityride.com.
About Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America
Led by former NASCAR driver and racing analyst Kyle Petty, the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America is an annual cross-country motorcycle trek that raises funds and awareness for Victory Junction. The Ride is one of the most successful and popular charity events in the country. Now in its 22nd year, more than 7,750 riders have logged 11.4 million cumulative motorcycle miles and raised more than $16.5 million for Victory Junction and other children’s charities.
About Victory Junction
Victory Junction is a year-round camping environment for children, ages six to 16, with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. Co-founded by Kyle Petty and his family in honor of their son Adam, the camp is located in Randleman, North Carolina. Victory Junction exists to provide life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun and empowering, in a safe and medically-sound environment, always free of charge. As a not-for-profit organization, the camp operates solely through the support of generous individuals, foundations, organizations and corporations to provide this experience at no charge to children and their families. Since the camp’s inception, more than 23,300 children and families have received not only a circle of support but experiences thought to only be possible by healthy children. Victory Junction is a member of the SeriousFun Children’s Network of Camps founded by Paul Newman, and is accredited by the rigorous guidelines of the American Camping Association. To learn more, please visitwww.victoryjunction.org.
About Manheim North America (www.manheim.com)
Manheim® is North America’s leading provider of vehicle remarketing services, connecting buyers and sellers of used vehicles to the largest wholesale used-vehicle marketplace. The company helps drive dealer and commercial client success by providing physical, digital and mobile auction channels, data analysis, dealer financing through NextGear Capital, Inc., transportation services through Ready Auto Transport and a host of other products and solutions. With80 locations across North America, Manheim registers nearly seven million used vehicles annually and facilitates transactions representing nearly $50 billion in value. Headquartered in Atlanta, Manheim N.A. is owned by Cox Automotive™ which includes industry leaders such as Kelley Blue Book (KBB.com®), Autotrader® and Dealertrack®. For more information, visit http://press.manheim.com.
