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