Businessman, philanthropist and respected NASCAR driver Kyle Petty will be the featured guest at a Congressional reception in Washington, D.C., celebrating the Victory Junction Gang Camp and the American motorsports industry. Sponsored by SEMA, the reception will take place on Wednesday, May 14, 2008.
In addition to influential SEMA members and industry leaders, among those attending the reception will be members of the Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus, consisting of about 100 members of Congress. The Caucus, formed in 1996, is a coalition of federal lawmakers who are car enthusiasts themselves or have racing and performance manufacturers in their districts. Co-chaired by Senator John Ensign (R-NV) and Congressman Sander Levin (D-MI), the Caucus was created to help raise the profile of the motor-vehicle performance industry in Washington and throughout the country.
The Victory Junction Gang Camp is a year-round camp that serves children ages seven to 15 with a variety of health issues. Located in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina, the camp opened its doors in June 2004. Founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty in honor of their son Adam, the camp has a racing theme with the sights, sounds, look and feel of a race track. It operates solely on the donations of corporations, organizations and individuals. Through its Cares Committee, SEMA is one of many corporate sponsors of the Victory Junction Gang Camp. SEMA Cares also supports Childhelp, whose mission is to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of abused and neglected children.
“SEMA members have a long history of giving back to our communities by assisting children and families who require a helping hand,” said Joel Ayres, SEMA Cares Committee chairman. “We’re thrilled to be able to use the occasion of SEMA’s Washington Rally to recognize the remarkable work being done by the Victory Junction Gang Camp, its staff, the Petty family and the many SEMA members who have contributed to this endeavor.”
Ayres is a former SEMA Board member and is the current national marketing director of the Leer Division, Truck Accessories Group (TAG) Inc.
In addition to the congressional reception, SEMA members who attend the Washington Rally will be treated to an Opening Briefing Session with United States Senator Jon Tester, meet with their members of Congress in a one-on-one setting, partake of a political insider session with well-known Washington pundits and given a tour of the United States Capitol.
For more information or to download a registration form for the Washington Rally, please go to: www.sema.org/main/semaorghome.aspx?ID=51667.