Photo: World Wide Technology Raceway owner and CEO Curtis Francois (far left) joined the WWT and RPM teams today at Pocono for the announcement.
Collaboration begins with June 2 Pocono 400 with primary partnership of
No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 granted to Victory Junction
May 31, 2019, Welcome, N.C. — World Wide Technology (WWT), a market-leading technology solutions provider, in collaboration with Victory Junction, a camp committed to enriching the lives of children with chronic medical conditions and serious illnesses, today announced a special collaboration. Through a leadership donation to Victory Junction made by WWT Founder and Chairman David Steward and his family, Victory Junction will sponsor NASCAR driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr. and the Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) No. 43 Camaro ZL1.
Wallace will drive the Victory Junction car in select races during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) in 2019. Victory Junction will retain the typical sponsor benefits granted by driving teams, to be used for the benefit of their campers. More importantly, WWT’s support of Victory Junction provides the camp with a profound cause-driven opportunity to raise awareness and funds for their mission to provide life-changing camp experiences. The relationship also brings exciting opportunities for a key partnership with Wallace and RPM.
From the moment Wallace first spent time at Victory Junction in 2015, the smiles and laughter heard throughout the lush 84 acres in the rolling hills of Randleman, N.C. left an indelible mark and impact on the Mobile, Ala. native.
“Victory Junction not only gives opportunities to children that have boundaries in their lives – it gives them a chance to be a kid,” said Wallace. “It’s just an incredible place.”
The Petty family established Victory Junction in honor of fourth generation race car driver Adam Petty. Since opening in 2004, Victory Junction has delivered over 50,000 camp experiences to children and their families, and in celebration of their 15th anniversary season, WWT will leverage its strategic partnership with Wallace and RPM to donate to Victory Junction the creation and development of an advertising, fundraising and call-to-action campaign, “Feel Your Heart Race.”
“I remember when I was a kid, having a lot of fun going out and doing things with my friends, and Victory Junction provides that and gives each child the opportunity to simply be a kid,” said Wallace. “The camp makes these kids feel as special as they truly are. This is a great opportunity for NASCAR fans to support Victory Junction and make every kid feel special – to feel empowered. Fifteen years is a great accomplishment and I want to do my part to help Victory Junction reach another 15 years.”
“Investments in diversity are critical for the long-term viability and future competitiveness of WWT. The same applies to the sport of racing. As the only African American NASCAR driver in over 40 years, we have been honored to support Bubba Wallace. With the Victory Junction alliance, we will celebrate and enable kids with diverse challenges and perspectives to reach their fullest abilities. ‘What you have done for the least of them, you have done for me.’ Given our family’s long history with Variety the Children’s Charity, BJC Health System and St. Jude’s, it was an easy decision to get involved with Victory Junction,” said Steward. “Diversity matters. That is why we support Bubba. That is why we support Victory Junction.”
“NASCAR fans connect with drivers like Bubba and the causes they care about, so we’re excited for this opportunity to partner with Bubba Wallace, WWT and RPM,” said Chad Coltrane, Victory Junction president and CEO. “Thanks to the generosity of the Steward family and WWT, we’ll be able to share the message of how Victory Junction helps children living with serious illnesses and medical conditions, and how fans can support that mission. We anticipate that other like-minded corporations and foundations will join WWT in the Victory Junction alliance in support of Bubba.”
“The Steward family is blessed to support Victory Junction and their amazing work empowering kids with serious illnesses,” said David Steward II, Polarity, Ltd CEO. “Given our family’s shared values with Bubba, the Petty family and Victory Junction leadership, this partnership is a natural fit. We are grateful for the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of the Victory Junction kids and their families. Together, we will show a global audience that diversity in all its forms is important.”
The partnership with RPM will commence at the Pocono (Pa.) Raceway this Sunday, June 2, and the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will feature a colorful Victory Junction paint scheme. Wallace made his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut, and his first appearance as a driver at RPM, at the 2.5-mile “Tricky Triangle” on June 11, 2017.
The Pocono Raceway, Mattioli family, and Petty family hold a strong connection. In 2001, Pocono Raceway paid tribute to Adam Petty by re-naming the garage area in his honor. The great-grandson of Lee Petty, grandson of Richard Petty, and son of Kyle Petty, Adam was the only fourth generation athlete to compete in the highest level of his sport.
The Pocono 400 will be broadcast live on FS1 and FOX Sports GO on Sunday, June 2 at 2:00 p.m. (EST). It will also broadcast live at 1:00 p.m. (EST) on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
About World Wide Technology
Founded by David L. Steward in 1990, WWT is a technology solution provider with more than $11 billion in annual revenue that provides digital strategy, innovative technology and supply chain solutions to large public and private organizations around the globe. While most companies talk about delivering business and technology outcomes, WWT does it. Based in St. Louis, Missouri, WWT is the largest African American owned business in the US, employs more than 5,000 people and is among the world’s greatest companies to work for as ranked by Glassdoor and Fortune. For more information about World Wide Technology, visit www.wwt.com.
About Victory Junction
Victory Junction is a year-round camp for children ages six to 16, with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. Co-founded by Kyle Petty and his family in honor of their son Adam, the camp is located in Randleman, North Carolina. Victory Junction exists to provide life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun and empowering, in a medically-safe environment, always at no charge to children and their families. Since Victory Junction opened in 2004, through on-site summer and family weekend camps and off-site through the camp’s outreach program, REACH, more than 50,000 camp experiences have been delivered to children and their families. Victory Junction is a member of the SeriousFun Children’s Network and is accredited by the rigorous guidelines of the American Camping Association. To learn more, please visit www.victoryjunction.org
About Richard Petty Motorsports
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. RPM is the winningest team in NASCAR Cup history with 273 wins and has business partnerships with national and global leaders. Today the race operation fields the famed No. 43 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with driver Bubba Wallace. The team is headquartered in Welcome, N.C. and is supported by primary partners United States Air Force and World Wide Technology.
For additional information, news and the latest updates, please visit www.richardpettymotorsports.comor connect with RPM on Facebook (Richard Petty Motorsports), Twitter (@RPMotorsports) or Instagram (@richardpettymotorsports).
For more information on World Wide Technology Raceway, please call (618) 215-8888. Follow WWTR on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram.
About World Wide Technology Raceway
World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, is the home of INDYCAR, NASCAR and NHRA racing in the St. Louis region. Located just five minutes from downtown St. Louis and covering more than 340 acres, WWT Raceway is the largest outdoor entertainment facility in the area. WWT Raceway’s facilities include a 1/4-mile drag strip, 1.25-mile superspeedway, 1.6-mile road course, a state-of-the-art karting facility and a 14-acre, multi-purpose dirt off-road venue. WWT Raceway was the recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Facility of the Year Award from the Race Track Business Conference and the 2017 Spirit of St. Louis Award from St. Louis Attractions Association.
