By Kara Martin
Source: BleacherReport.com



In 1999, after participating in a motorcycle ride to Camp Boggy Creek in Florida, the Petty family, Adam Petty in particular, was inspired to build a camp in North Carolina for children with chronic medical conditions and serious illnesses.

After the loss of their son Adam in 2000, Kyle and Pattie Petty chose to fulfill his dream by creating the Victory Junction Gang Camp in his memory.

The camp enriches the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses by providing life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun, and empowering, in a safe and medically-sound environment.

The Victory Junction Gang Camp proudly opened in June 2004. Since then, the need for a similar camp in the Midwest became more prevalent.  In early 2008, Kyle and Pattie announced plans to expand to Wyandotte County, Kansas and spread the experience with children in need. The camp in Kansas is expected to open in two to three years.

On June 3, 2009 Tony Stewart's Eldora Speedway will play host to the fifth annual "Prelude to the Dream," a unique affair that features NASCAR and National driving stars behind the wheel of dirt Late Model machines in a full blown event, complete with time trial runs, heat races and a consolation race leading up to the featured main event.

The proceeds from the race will benefit the Tony Stewart Foundation in “Support Of Our Wounded And Fallen Soldiers.”

In addition, this year the "nicest couple in NASCAR" and one lucky fan will benefit from a pairing up of one of the sport's most outspoken drivers and a healthy dose of "whoop-ass" to create a recipe of sweet charity.

Stewart has teamed up with irreverent, prank call comedian Lee Roy Mercer to present the "Tony Stewart Prelude to the Dream Pit Pass Contest for Charity."

The Grand Prize winner will receive an all-inclusive race package to the Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH; which includes round trip airfare and two nights hotel accommodations. The winner will also receive a VIP Pit Pass, allowing free access to the Speedway, the opportunity to hang out with Lee Roy Mercer in the infield/garage area and meet Tony Stewart and many other drivers "in a laid back atmosphere" during the charity race Pay-Per-View event held on June 3, 2009.

For details and your chance to win, visit www.LeeRoyMercer.com and click the contest banner at the top of the page.

In addition, you can purchase one of Lee Roy's CDs. I recommend, the hysterical, "Gone Racin'." A compilation of unscripted prank phone calls to some of NASCAR's most prominent drivers.

Proceeds from Lee Roy's new CD, Greatest Threats, as well as the Gone Racin' disc will benefit the Tony Stewart Foundation in support of Kyle Petty's new Victory Junction Gang Camp II, KC.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Mercer and asked what the winner could expect from him.

"One thing the winner of the Contest can expect is for me to show 'em the best Whoop-Ass time of their life at the historically famous Eldora Speedway. I am good friends with many of the drivers that will be participating in the event including Mr. Tony Stewart and I plan to introduce the winner to some of their favorites, but keep everything laid back and fun as the drivers have come to expect during the Prelude To The Dream."

Mercer participated in the 2008 Prelude To The Dream, where he had free reign to punk and prank anyone and everyone!

An impromptu, comedic masterpiece ensued when NASCAR team owner Ray Evernham was caught yucking it up in the infield with Lee Roy. Viewers of the HBO Pay-Per-View were in stitches as Kyle Petty, Darrell Waltrip, and Mike Joy tried to maintain their composure in the announcer's booth during Lee Roy's hilarious, "southern-fried" antics.

Mercer even made the trip as Stewart's special celebrity guest of honor to Victory Lane for the Prelude's post race celebration and festivities.

Prior to the Prelude, Smoke guaranteed Kyle Petty and the Victory Junction Gang a one million dollar donation from the event. With an estimated turn out of 23,000, combined with the generous support of race fans and the NASCAR community, Stewart's goal was met.

As Tony presented the check to the Petty family, he added, "The Victory Junction Gang camps have become such a part of my family too.  That’s what it is all about. We all get to have fun out here and get to drive dirt cars, but it’s a lot deeper and bigger cause than that.”

Kyle Petty responded. “It’s like the (Kyle Petty) charity ride we do every summer. “We have a good time riding motorcycles, but we raise a lot of money for charity. Nobody says that you have to have a bad time raising money for charity. You can have a good time, too.”

It costs $2500 for a child to attend the Victory Junction Gang Camp, but thanks to magnanimous donors, families do not incur any expenditures.

So, open your heart to this remarkable cause and have a little fun along the way! Your donation will help send a child to camp and in return you could be headed to Eldora for the time of your life, courtesy of Tony Stewart and Lee Roy Mercer.

Many thanks to Mr. Lee Roy Mercer for his participation in this article and support of the Tony Stewart Foundation, as well as the Victory Junction Gang Camp, II KC. Despite claiming "It ain't nothing for me to whoop a man's ass," he was nothing but a true southern gentleman to me!

Thank-you to Kyle Petty and Tony Stewart for all that you do to make the Victory Junction Gang Camp a success, it is much appreciated. Keep up the great work!

Photo courtesy of Jon Holtz, used by permission of Lee Roy Mercer