Stewart Presents Check: Back in May, Tony Stewart pledged to donate $100 to charity for every lap he completed when he ran both the Indy 500 and Coca Cola 600, The Home Depot, Joe Gibbs Racing and Target Chip Ganassi Racing agreed to match Stewart’s total. The charity of Stewart’s choice was the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a planned extension of the original Hole In The Wall Gang Camp founded for kids by Paul Newman. Kyle Petty, driver of the #45 Sprint Dodge and wife Pattie, who created the annual Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America in 1995, plan to build the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, N.C., in honor of their late son, Adam. Stewart wound up completing all 1,100 miles that day in May, which translated to a total of 600 laps. The magic number for each pledge was $60,000, and with the combined support of Stewart, The Home Depot, Joe Gibbs Racing and Target Chip Ganassi Racing, the total amount donated to the Victory Junction Gang Camp was $240,000. Nearly five months later at the track where Stewart’s marathon day concluded, the $240,000 check was presented to Brian Collier of the Victory Junction Gang Camp, along with Kyle and Pattie Petty. The 65-acre site in Randleman is currently being logged, with construction slated to start in the summer of 2002. The camp will eventually be comprised of 36 buildings including a medical center, camper cabins, dining hall, pool, arts & crafts, stables, boathouse, gym and theater. (Edelman PR). For additional information on the Victory Junction Gang Camp see my Racing Charities page(10-8-2001)
