Legendary Richard Petty Sponsor and AutoZone Team Up to Raise Money for Victory Junction Gang Camp and Create Special 'Family Weekend'

Friday, October 15th 2004, 7:32 pm

By: News On 6

Long time Richard Petty sponsor STP has teamed up with AutoZone to announce a donation for up to $50,000 to the Petty Family's Victory Junction Gang Camp. The donation, which is being made in celebration of STP's 50th Anniversary, will allow STP and AutoZone to host a special ``Family Weekend,'' for children with a chronic or life-threatening illness, sometime in the Spring of 2005.

Kyle and Richard Petty were on hand to help kick-off STP's 50th Anniversary celebration in grand style, when they unveiled a special STP ``Future's Car'' which will be the pace car in Kyle Petty's Ride to Victory II charity ride. The Ride to Victory will take place on Sunday, October 17 leaving the Lowe's Motor Speedway and concluding at the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, North Carolina. The STP future's car and coinciding donation are two highlights of STP's golden anniversary celebration.

``We are really touched by the generous donations of AutoZone and STP to the Victory Junction Gang Camp, commemorating STP's 50th year of business,'' said Victory Junction Gang Camp President and CEO Kyle Petty. ``STP has had such a long standing relationship with Petty Enterprises and knowing the way they do business, I'm sure they'll continue to be an automotive pioneer for the next 50 years.''

``My 32-year relationship with STP, which is the longest running sponsorship in motor sports history, has been like a match made in heaven,'' said seven time Winston Cup champion Richard Petty. ``For them to team up with AutoZone to raise money for the Victory Junction Gang Camp really speaks volumes about the special kind of relationship Petty Enterprises has with STP.''

Money will be raised, in part, through sales of STP products at AutoZone stores during the month of November. For every bottle of STP sold at AutoZone stores in November, 50 cents will be donated to The Victory Junction Gang Camp, up to a goal of $50,000.

Additionally, consumers who purchase two bottles of STP products at AutoZone will also be able to mail away and receive their choice of three limited edition STP/Petty die cast cars:

-- 1972 STP Car (Petty's first 43 STP car victory) -- 1984 STP Car (Petty's final Victory) -- 2004 STP Car (Pace car for Ride to Victory II)

For the Pettys, a family steeped in NASCAR tradition, 2004 also marks numerous monumental racing anniversaries. It is the golden anniversary of patriarch Lee Petty's first championship; the 45th anniversary of Lee Petty's win of the inaugural Daytona 500; the 40th anniversaries of Richard Petty's first Daytona 500 win and first series championship; and the 20th anniversary of Richard's record-setting 200th and last win.

STP's 50 years of business have been synonymous with NASCAR racing. In 1972 STP began making headlines in the racing world with the historic sponsorship of Petty and the No. 43 car. In 1979, Richard won his seventh NASCAR title, which put him in a class of his own, and also etched STP as an icon in the racing world. The STP logo returned to the 43 Dodge this season as an associate sponsor and will remain on the Jeff Green's 43 Dodge car throughout the 2005.

Kyle and Pattie Petty founded the Victory Junction Gang Camp in memory of their son Adam who passed away in May 2000. The goal of the Victory Junction Gang Camp is to enrich the lives of children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses by creating camping experiences that are memorable, exciting, fun, empowering, physically safe and medically sound.

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