Former NASCAR great Kyle Petty hosts annual charity ride through Utah, Nevada

What began as a cross-country ride from California to North Carolina in 1995, Kyle Petty's Charity Ride Across America has grown into an annual event; and it's passing through Utah's majestic landscapes for the second year in a row.

Petty, a former stock car driver and current racing commentator, told KSL.com the ride wasn't meant to be a regular occurrence, but rather a chance to check off a bucket list item.

"Me and two or three other race car drivers, we just wanted to ride motorcycles across the country. We wanted to go from California to North Carolina, just to say we'd done it one time," he said. "We did it that first year, and then we swore we'd never do it again. And then we did it again, and we swore we'd never do it after that, but we did it again. So, we said, let's make it five years. And here we are at 27."

But for Petty, the ride would soon take on a different meaning, when his oldest son, Adam Petty, was killed in a racing accident in 2000. The Petty family founded Victory Junction — a year-round camp for children with chronic medical illnesses — in 2004, as a way to honor Adam's memory.

Since then, Kyle's charity rides have raised more than $20 million for the cause and have sent more than 115,000 kids to camp free of charge.

The annual ride hosts around 125 participants, with several celebrities from NASCAR and the wider sports world joining in, including former NASCAR driver and Kyle's father Richard Petty, former NFL star and U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker, former NASCAR drivers Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader, and sportscaster Rick Allen.

Over the past three decades, the ride has visited 48 of the 50 states, but Petty said one state always stands out in the riders' minds.

"When we ask where they want to go back to, they always say Utah, because it's so pretty," Petty said. "It's just so pretty to ride motorcycles in this state. So, we're back again and you might not be able to get rid of us. We might just come back every year."

This year's ride begins and ends in Salt Lake City, and will travel through Ely, Tonopah and Las Vegas, Nevada, before returning through Cedar City, Escalante, Grand Staircase and Moab.

With its path through southern Utah, the ride has also caught the attention of Utah Sen. Don Ipson, who will participate for the second year in a row along with two of his sons. Ipson, a Republican from St. George and self-described "huge NASCAR fan," has a close connection to the ride and the charity it supports: Ipson has a grandson with autism who was a guest at Victory Junction around 10 years ago.

"It's one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had," Ipson said of last year's ride. "They reach out into communities they travel through and they leave things with them. ... Kyle is such an incredibly gracious host and it's just and incredible experience for an incredible cause. I loved every minute of it."

Petty said Ipson is an example of the family event the ride is, with many participants bringing kids or spouses along.

"It is a family ride, and he pretty much epitomizes that by bringing his family to be a part of it," Petty said. "We just became great, great friends last year. We had a good time. We're hoping they're lifers."

Ipson planned to give him a tour of the Capitol earlier in the week, Petty said.

In addition to the 125 or so participants, Petty said the ride has a support crew of 60 to 70 riders, plus motor marshals, doctors, nurses, and luggage and hotel support teams. He said the Coca-Cola Company is one of the sponsors of the ride, and it sends out a team each year to keep everybody hydrated.

"There's been times we've gone through cities that as soon as we get there, the population doubles," Petty said with a laugh. "You get a lot of attention when you pass through a community. You know, I didn't grow up in a town, I grew up in a community in North Carolina. When you pass through a community of 150 or 200 people, they all come out and line the streets to see what's going on, because you can hear us come and you can hear us going away."

Ipson said the support crew was one of the most impressive parts of the ride last year, along with the chance to spend days riding with some of his racing heroes.

"The fuel stops are incredible. We stop for lunch, and they fuel all those bikes in about 15 minutes and then we move on," he said.

"It goes one step beyond that," Ipson said, when asked about riding with his heroes. "Richard Petty, he's an absolute icon, a legend in the sport, and Kenny Schrader, who was a great star back in the day — it was fun to be able to rub shoulders and talk to these guys. What other sport makes their heroes available to everyday people like NASCAR does?"