"It’s all for the kids": Kyle Petty honors $1,400,000 raised for Victory Junction through 2025 charity ride
Former NASCAR driver and Richard Petty's son, Kyle Petty, organized the 29th anniversary ride for the Kyle Petty Charity Ride. Petty led 125 motorcycles on a seven-day trek covering more than 1,400 miles across seven states of the US and taking halts at iconic landmarks during their ride. It commenced from Traverse City, Michigan, and ended in Hot Springs, Virginia. Fans across the country came to welcome the riders and support the cause from surrounding areas along the route.
The funds raised from the charity ride benefit Victory Junction, a camp in Randleman, North Carolina, that supports children with chronic medical illnesses. The donations help support activities like summer camperships, building projects, and maintenance programs.
Kyle Petty expressed his gratitude and respect for everyone involved in making the charity ride a success.
"I could not be more proud of our riders, sponsors, and team for making this happen. Over $1.4 million - it’s all for the kids at VictoryJunction!" Kyle Petty wrote.
Since its inception in 1995, Petty's charity ride has raised more than $23 million for Victory Junction and other children’s charities. The ride has thus helped Victory Junction to acquire resources and provide over 136,000 camp experiences for children with different abilities who live with complex medical illnesses at zero expense for their families.
The funds were gathered from the fans supporting the ride, as part of the ride’s 'Small Change. Big Impact.' initiative, along with donations made by the generous sponsors, organizations, and the riders themselves.
Kyle Petty draws similarities between Carson Hocevar and Kyle Busch
Kyle Petty made direct comparisons between Carson Hocevar and some of NASCAR's most notorious and controversial champions. This came after Hocevar's recent incident at Nashville Superspeedway, where he spun Ricky Stenhouse Jr., resulting in his first DNF of the season. Hocevar ultimately ended the race in second position behind Ryan Blaney.
Petty hinted that Hocevar might be the next superstar in NASCAR, referring to the new docuseries on Dale Earnhardt streaming on Amazon. He then compared Kyle Busch's career to Hocevar's.
"We saw Kyle Busch do the same type of thing, and we booed him, and now we cheer him. Are we gonna boo Carson Hocevar and then one day he’s gonna be our superstar?” Petty said, via his Kiss My A**phalt show,
Early days during Busch's career were filled with controversy over aggressive driving with him receiving frequent boos from the grandstand. However, over time, he gained numerous fans due to his undeniable skill and racing passion.
Hocevar's recent incident at Nashville has sparked criticism, but he has remained unapologetic about it. If Petty's statements end up true, then he might follow the footsteps of Busch from being criticized to a respected champion.