By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

On May 1, for the 16th time in 16th years, Kyle Petty will climb on his motorcycle and begin a cross-country journey that, ultimately, will benefit children throughout the United States.

Though Petty's Charity Rides are once-a-year affairs, his commitment and generosity are relentless—and all the more poignant in that the death of his son, Adam, inspired the creation of Victory Junction Gang Camp, which the charity ride has supported since its opening in 2004.

Adam Petty was 19 when he was killed in a crash during practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on May 12, 2000. Victory Junction, the monument to a vibrant life cut short, has served thousands of children with chronic and terminal illnesses since its opening.

The children do not pay for the camp experience. That's why fundraising is vital to its operation. That's why Petty and approximately 200 friends and supporters will begin the 16th ride in Indian Wells, Calif., on May 1.

That's also why prominent NASCAR drivers are attracted to the charity. The latest is Dale Earnhardt Jr., who recently pledged $1 million to the camp to build the Dale Jr. Corral and Amphitheater at the camp in Randleman, N.C.

"There are many reasons why we wanted to get involved with Victory Junction and build this amphitheatre, and it starts with the tremendous impact the camp has on these kids," Earnhardt said at the groundbreaking late last month at Victory Junction. "It's incredible how one week changes lives. Just as important to me is my friendship with Kyle and (wife) Pattie Petty, and the memory of my buddy, Adam Petty.

"Adam and I met each other at an early age, and from that point on our lives and careers were virtually parallel. He was as genuine as they get and a great friend. If I can play a small part in helping Kyle and Pattie keep his dream alive, it doesn't require a second thought."

Earnhardt's gift was welcome news in an economy that has made fundraising more difficult and slowed the construction of a planned second camp in Kansas City, Kan. 

"When people ask, 'How has the economy affected camp?' the easiest answer to that is 'How has it affected you?' " Petty said. "Most households have had to tighten the belt 10 or 15 percent, some a lot more than that. We're about in the 15-20 percent range. The economy has slowed us down in Kansas City, because we were in the building stage there, so we really needed to be churning money there."

Accordingly, the importance of this year's Charity Ride is magnified. Riders will raise awareness of the camp as they travel across the country—with overnight stops scheduled in North Las Vegas, Nev.; Richfield, Utah; Durango, Colo.; Amarillo, Texas; Texarkana, Texas; Choctaw, Miss.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; and Asheville, N.C.  The ride will end May 9 in Randleman.

"When you catch us on the road, it's like a parade, with all the support vehicles and everything," Petty said. "We've got two big trucks that haul bikes and a pace car that paces us. It almost looks like a parade coming through town. The only difference is, it's a parade that goes about 400 miles a day."

The route changes from year to year, with input from the riders.

"We know where we're going to start and stop," Petty said. "This year we chose to go down to Indian Wells in Southern California. Last year we started just above Portland. Where you start sort of dictates how you get across the country. We're going up into Utah, because everybody wanted to go up back into Utah, and we're going over to Durango, because we've been there a couple of times, and it's a cool little city.

"We going to haul the mail across North Texas, and then we decided to swing back down south. It's almost like standing back and throwing darts at a board."

Though the route may change, the purpose remains constant—and that's what ensures that Petty will keep on riding.