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The 15th Anniversary Chick-Fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America will make its way from Stevenson, Wash., starting May 8 and reaching Greensboro on May 16.

Greensboro is one of 10 cities nationwide selected for overnight stops for the more than 200 motorcycle riders raising money and awareness for the Victory Junction Gang and other local charities.
Since the campaign started in 1995, more than 6,000 participants have donated more than $12 million to Victory Junction and other charities supporting chronically ill kids.

Kyle Petty, NASCAR driver and Victory Junction founder, still can’t believe it.

“It’s hard to believe we’ve been crisscrossing the country on our bikes for 15 years,” Petty said. “We have a great time, but it’s really all about the kids. We’ve seen so many lives touched through Victory Junction and the other charities we’ve partnered with over the years.”

Petty said this is a big year for the Charity Ride family.

Along with celebrating the 15th anniversary of the ride, they’ll also break ground on the second Victory Junction, in Kansas City, Kan., during the ride.

The ride will storm down I-40 East into Greensboro and hit Exit 218, headed toward the final stop of the day at the Grandover Resort and Hotel.

“It’s always great to hit familiar terrain after a long cross-country trip,” Petty said. “There’s nothing better than ending the ride in Greensboro and then hopping over to Randleman to visit the amazing kids at Victory Junction. It’ll feel good to be home in North Carolina.”

Victory Junction, created by Petty and his wife, Pattie, opened in Randleman in 2004 and serves as a free, year-round camp for kids, ages 6 to 16, whose health issues would typically keep them from going to camp.

Donations from corporations, organizations and individuals are the only camp funding.

Nonbikers can help out, too.

Supporters can give a few dollars or spare change to the “Small Change, Big Impact” program at all pit stops or through The Charity Ride Dream Team Challenge, which allows individuals to form teams to raise money and awareness. Last year, those donations accounted for more than $40,000.

“We’ve already seen a wonderful response from communities across the country in the second year of the Charity Ride Dream Team Challenge,” Petty said. “People are working hard to support the ride and spread the word about our arrival in their communities.”

Petty said he hopes more Dream Teams “will join us and get excited about helping children with serious medical conditions.”

Contact Michael McCray at mike.mccray@news-record.com or 373-7088.