07/22/2007
WHELEN CELEBRATES STOP FOR
PETTY CHARITY RIDE
The 13th Annual Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America
reached its final destination in Hollywood , Fla. Friday, but not
before making several very important stops along the way.
One of those stops was in Charlestown , N.H. , where the
street was lined for a mile with more than 400 cheering friends,
families and employees of Whelen Engineering as the company hosted
the riders last Saturday.
More than 250 motorcycles, driven by celebrities and
enthusiasts, rode to the Whelen Engineering plant to raise money for
Victory Junction Gang Camp, a camp established by NASCAR NEXTEL Cup
Series driver Kyle Petty for seriously-ill children.
Kyle Petty was joined by his wife Patti Petty and his father
and NASCAR legend Richard Petty, along with football legend Herschel
Walker, former NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Steve Park and others
to thank Whelen for their contributions to the charity.
“The employees are still talking about it as one of the great
events,” said Phil Kurze, vice president of motorsports for Whelen
Engineering. “It always feels good when you participate in something
that helps other people.”
Whelen Engineering is a Connecticut-based company that is the
leading manufacturer of automotive, aviation, industrial and public
emergency lighting and warning systems – including the caution
lights on the track and pace cars at NASCAR events.
In November 2006, Whelen and NASCAR reached a multi-year
agreement to sponsor the grassroots racing program. Whelen is also
in its third year of a multi-year agreement to sponsor NASCAR’s
Southern Modified Tour as well as NASCAR’s northeast-based Modified
Tour.
After the motorcycles arrived, more than 582 sundaes were
served to those who attended and donated time and money to the event
and the Victory Junction Gang Camp.
It was a very festive atmosphere, Kurze said, with kids
running around under shade trees, people eating ice cream and
donating to Victory Junction Gang Camp.
“Whelen is a family like NASCAR is a family,” Kurze said. “It
was a great combination of the two. The NASCAR family once again
combined with the Whelen family.”
The Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America was
formed in 1995. Since, it has become one of the most successful and
popular charity events in NASCAR. This year, riders started in Bar
Harbor , Maine July 14 and ended in Hollywood , Fla. July 20 after
making a stop at the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman , N.C.
, on July 18 to meet campers and tour the grounds. In its history,
the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America has logged more than
45,000 miles, encompassed more than 5,350 riders and donated more
than $9 million.
Source Jason Christley/NASCAR PR
Posted:
July 22, 2007 |