"Since Adam passed we served over 125,000 kids": NASCAR veteran Kyle Petty shares heartfelt story behind annual charity ride

Former NASCAR driver and analyst Kyle Petty took to social media to share the story of his infamous annual charity ride and his late son, Adam.

While far from the heights of his father Richard "The King" Petty, retired third-generation driver Kyle Petty found notable success in his career as a racecar driver. The Randleman, North Carolina, native competed at the highest echelons of NASCAR, winning multiple races, qualifying for playoffs, and most notably, clinching a victory in the iconic Coca-Cola 600 race.

However, fate took a dark turn in the lives of Petty's family when Kyle's eldest son Adam Petty tragically lost his life due to an on-track incident in 2000. Only a teenager at the time of the incident, Adam was involved in a frantic crash during a practice session for an Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Adam developed a basilar skull fracture and succumbed to his injuries on the spot. Once touted as America's first "fourth-generation" sportsperson, he was only 19 at the time of the passing.

In the wake of this heartbreaking loss, Kyle Petty has tirelessly sought ways to honor his son's memory. One such endeavor is the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America, an annual event where he leads 150 motorcycles across nine states on a seven-day journey spanning over 2,100 miles.

The ride aims to raise funds and awareness for Victory Junction, a camp dedicated to providing life-changing experiences for children with serious and chronic medical conditions.

In an announcement via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Petty revealed:

"Since Adam passed, we have served more than 125,000 kids at @victoryjunction. To see Adam’s smile on their faces, lets me know he’s still here with us. Thank you, @wbtv_news for sharing this story…"

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Kyle Petty elaborates on his Charity Ride

Victory Junction serves as a sanctuary for children facing a myriad of serious and chronic medical conditions. Kyle Petty expressed his deep admiration for the camp's mission, emphasizing its role in providing transformative experiences for its young attendees. Petty said (via Our Quad Cities):

"I don’t even remember how many disease groups we see. We have summer camp, we have spring camp and fall camp, we have Camp in a Box that we take to hospitals to visit kids. It is just an amazing, amazing place and it’s totally free of charge to all families."

"We didn’t want to be an added burden to families who are in financial crisis a lot of times. We just take your kids for a week, let them play with other kids that have the same illnesses, the same fights, the same battles, the same joys, the same dreams that your kids have and then send them back home. Hopefully, it’s a week of their life they’ll never forget."

Since its inception in 1995, the annual charity ride has raised over $21 million for Victory Junction and other children's charities. This year's ride will traverse nine states, commencing in Deadwood, South Dakota, and culminating at Victory Junction in North Carolina.