NASCAR legend Richard Petty makes enormous donation to Victory Junction camp for kids

NASCAR legend Richard Petty has donated 403 acres to Victory Junction, the year-round North Carolina camp his family helped open for children with serious illnesses and chronic medical conditions, camp officials said Friday.

The donation includes eight parcels beside Victory Junction’s 140 acres in Randleman. Petty and his late wife, Lynda, originally donated 84 of those acres to help start the camp 20 years ago, Victory Junction officials said in a news release.

Randleman is 20 miles south of Greensboro and 91 miles northeast of Charlotte.

Petty family was there from the beginning

The Pettys’ grandson, NASCAR driver Adam Petty, intended to open the camp after visiting a similar one in 1999. Adam Petty died on May 12, 2000, after crashing into a wall during a practice lap at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. He was 19.

Adam’s dad, NASCAR driver Kyle Petty, rallied friends, the NASCAR community and other donors to open Victory Junction in 2004.

“When I see the joy and the smiles this camp brings to kids and their families, I can still feel Adam’s giving spirit and see his smile,” Kyle Petty said in a statement Friday.

“I want to make sure the camp is here in 100 years, and we hope this gift inspires others to support Victory Junction, so it remains a place of joy for generations to come,” Kyle Petty said.

“Life-changing camp experiences”

Richard Petty, who remains active on the Victory Junction board, said he and his family “are dedicated to leaving a legacy.”

With the donation, he said, “We hope to ensure the camp can continue serving even more children for generations to come.”

Victory Junction has no immediate plans for the donated land, board chair Mark Curran said in the release.

“As we envision the future of camp, the land will remain a topic of strategic discussions,” Curran said. “We will be sure to use this thoughtful gift in ways that both secure the future of camp and provide even more life-changing camp experiences for children.”