Kyle Petty Charity Ride

July 6, 2008

Northern Michigan’s connection to NASCAR has for years come through the voice of WKLT (97.5 and 98.9) radio personality NASCAR Steve. His KLT Pit Stop gives twice-weekly NASCAR updates and analysis. Now NASCAR, thanks in part to NASCAR Steve, will be headed to Northern Michigan in the form of motorcycling.
The Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America will kick off in Traverse City this year. The actual ride starts Sunday July 13, but activities will begin Friday night as a host of celebrities arrive, ranging from racing legend Richard Petty and former NASCAR points champion Matt Kenseth to football great Herschel Walker and TV Host and supermodel Niki Taylor.
This will mark the 14th annual Kyle Petty Charity Ride with the first 13 netting $10.5 million that Petty and his wife Pattie have donated to children’s charities. The ride will start in Traverse City and travel 3,000 miles ending a week later in Savannah, Georgia.
Why did Petty choose Traverse City?
“NASCAR Steve had a lot to do with it. He has talked up how great Traverse City is to everyone on the NASCAR circuit,” said Petty. “Plus, I have read a lot of great things about Traverse City and when you talk to people about places to go in the Midwest they all tell you Traverse City is the place to be. So we are excited.”

THE RED CARPET
Petty is very pleased with how the community has rolled out the red carpet, especially the Grand Traverse Resort.
“We are basing the operation at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa. They have been great to work with and it is obvious we made the right choice in choosing Traverse City and the Grand Traverse Resort,” said Petty. “I have been told the chef is preparing quite the meal for the kick-off dinner of all things that taste great from Michigan.”
The 14th Anniversary Charity Ride benefits Victory Junction Gang Camp and other children’s charities. Petty and his wife, Pattie, founded the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, N.C., in 2004. The year-round camp serves children with serious health issues, ages seven to 15, at no cost to their families. The Pettys recently announced plans to open a second Victory Junction Gang Camp in Wyandotte County, Kansas.
Petty is also pleased with all the groundwork that NASCAR Steve has done on behalf of the event.
“This year we have created the Charity Ride Dream Team Challenge where communities challenge community members to form teams to raise funds, for and awareness of the Charity Ride and its beneficiaries,” said Petty. “NASCAR Steve was among the first in the country to create a team and he has come up with a pretty creative way of raising money and creating awareness for what we are doing.”

NASCAR STEVE
For NASCAR Steve, who has been a fan of racing since his childhood, working on this event was a given.
“I created KLT Pit Stop/Kyle Petty Charity ride shirts that I am schlepping at various KLT promotions around Northern Michigan” said NASCAR Steve. “I also made a piggybank out of a race tire from the car I drove at MIS. Kyle Petty is one of the charitable guys on the circuit. This is going to be a great weekend for racing fans in Northern Michigan.”
So what will be the best way to access the celebrities?
“All the Dream Team participants will get attend a private reception,” said NASCAR Steve. “So if you buy a t-shirt you are on the team. Plus we want to see a huge turnout at 7 am on the Grand Traverse Resort on Sunday when the ride starts.”
To join the KLT Pit Stop/Kyle Petty Dream Team contact NASCAR Steve at 231-947-0003. Be sure to listen to WKLT for updates on weekend events. Additional details may be found at kylepettycharityride.com.