40 | MARCH 2026 QUARTERLY SUPPLEMENT
Celebrity riders have been a part of the KPCRAA since its beginning, as seen in this photo from the 1996 ride. Below left: Adam Petty greets kids along the 2000 KPCRAA, weeks before his accident. Below right: Kyle and Adam rode side by side during the 2000 ride.
The 30th anniversary ride takes place in May, when about 150 motorcycles and more than 200 people, including several NASCAR racers and other celebrities, will depart from Sonoma, California, and begin a nine-day ride to North Carolina. The destination is Victory Junction, a camp for kids with chronic illnesses and the ride’ s primary beneficiary.
Victory Junction was founded in memory of Petty’ s oldest son, Adam, who died in a racing accident in 2000. Since the camp’ s opening in 2004, they’ ve been able to send more than 140,000 kids and their families to camp free of charge. Petty said that although the annual ride’ s route changes each year, the group makes sure to visit Victory Junction every two to three years.
“ We touch base and let everybody know this is what we’ re doing it for. We go by as often as possible.”
Before reaching Victory Junction, the ride will spend nine days crossing the country, including U. S. Route 50( the“ Loneliest Road in America”) and parts of the original Route 66. They’ ll stay in a different city every night, and each overnight stop will be a chance for the community to come out and meet the riders and celebrities. Petty said those fan events are one of his favorite parts of the ride.
“ We have stopped at gas stations in Utah and west Texas where you’ ve not