By ZECH YODER
Checkers to Wreckers
Typically, the month of May in Indianapolis is synonymous with open-wheel racing and the Indianapolis 500. This May will be no different, but it does come with a pleasant twist.
On May 7, former NASCAR Cup Series standout, Kyle Petty, and approximately 250 fellow bikers will rumble through the streets of downtown Indianapolis en route to Greensboro, N.C., for the 28th Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America, one of the most successful and popular charity events in the country.
I had the privilege of speaking with Kyle about the ride, what the ride benefits, and even got his take on the Brickyard 400 coming back to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this July.
To those new to NASCAR, Kyle Petty is a third-generation stock car driver. His grandfather, Lee Petty, was a stock car pioneer and won the very first Daytona 500. His father, Richard Petty, holds the record for most Cup Series wins (200) and most Cup Series Championships (seven). Kyle won eight Cup Series races during his NASCAR career, and made a championship run during the 1992 season before eventually finishing fifth in the final points standings.
According to Kyle, the idea for the charity ride was born out of his love for motorcycles. Kyle had been a motorcycle enthusiast for nearly his whole life and remembers riding from the age of five. In the early 90s, he and a few of his buddies, including fellow Cup Series driver Harry Gant, had discussed doing a cross-country ride to Phoenix, Ariz., for the next-to-last race of the year.
Photo by Kevin Kane Photography
The plan finally came together, and they made the ride. Eventually, Kyle got the idea of making the event a charity ride.
In 1994, with the help of their sponsors, the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America was born. Kyle spoke nostalgically about the early years of the ride. Eating buckets of chicken by the side of the road. Carrying their gear on their bikes. Stopping at children’s hospitals to pass out die-cast cars and provide donations to families in need. Through the years, the ride gained incredible traction and now runs better than a well-tuned Harley.
Today, the ride benefits Kyle’s labor of love, Victory Junction. Victory Junction was born out of conversations between Kyle and his son, Adam Petty. Adam Petty, a fourth-generation NASCAR driver, was ascending the stock car ladder when he tragically lost his life during a racing accident at New Hampshire Speedway in May of 2000. Kyle and Adam discussed starting a camp for children with serious medical needs and chronic medical conditions.
In honor of Adam and his desire to serve others, Victory Junction Camp opened in June of 2004. The racecar-themed camp is geared to serve children with serious medical conditions. The camp is staffed by medical personnel, including doctors and nurses, who are able to perform procedures from chemotherapy to dialysis to small emergency procedures. Through its 20-year existence, Victory Junction has empowered tens of thousands of children to experience activities that they might not have otherwise experienced, including archery, horseback riding, ropes courses, and arts and crafts.
The best part: Victory Junction is completely free of charge to its campers, relieving the significant financial burden on families with children who attend the camp.
Photo by Kevin Kane Photography
Through its partnership with NASCAR teams and drivers, Victory Junction has done extraordinary things in the last 20 years. I asked Kyle what is in store for the next 20 years. He reiterated his commitment to reaching as many kids as possible, including the REACH program, which is designed to take Victory Junction to children’s hospital in North Carolina and the surrounding states.
Being a resident of Indiana, I had to ask Kyle about Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the return of the Brickyard 400 this July.
While Kyle acknowledged his enjoyment of road racing in NASCAR, he stated that the oval is what Indianapolis Motor Speedway is all about. Recent NASCAR races on the oval have not provided the best racing, which led to the road course races. I asked Kyle about his expectations of the NextGen car on the oval. He commented on the NextGen’s ability to draft, which could lead to closer racing and could stand the chance of creating one of the best “racing” races NASCAR has had at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
There were a few interesting conversations we had about Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Brickyard.
One of them was Kyle’s initial perspective on racing at Indy. He believed that NASCAR was stepping on hallowed ground and should not be racing at the yard of bricks. Certainly, an understandable perspective coming from the son of arguably the greatest NASCAR driver of all time and the grandson of the winner of the first Daytona 500. It would be equally controversial seeing INDYCAR on the high banks of Daytona, even if INDYCAR stuck to the road course.
However, after seeing the 40,000 plus fans that came out for the tire test before the first Brickyard 400 and the encouraging words from Tony George on the old and new traditions of IMS, Kyle came around to the idea of NASCAR on the Brickyard.
Photo by Kevin Kane Photography
It was a pleasure speaking with Kyle Petty. As he has discussed recently, his family has been in NASCAR for 75 years since its inception in the late ‘40s. He is a wonderful ambassador of the sport and provides excellent analysis as a television personality and broadcaster on NBC Sports.
If you are interested in learning more about the charity ride, visit kylepettycharityride.com. If you are interested in learning more about the Victory Junction Camp, visit victoryjunction.org. And if you are interested in hearing Kyle’s hot takes and racing analysis, you can find him on X @kylepetty.
In my mind, Kyle Petty will always be associated with the No. 42 Mello Yellow car he drove for SABCO. To this day, it remains in my mind one of the best paint schemes in the NASCAR garage.
Zech Yoder is a local resident, an attorney at Adler Attorneys in Noblesville, and a lifelong race fan.