Kyle Petty makes a stop in Roanoke County

By: Chris Whitley | WSLS 10
Published: July 16, 2009

It's not a sight you see everyday. A big name in NASCAR, bagging your groceries.

That's what shoppers at the Bonsack Kroger found Wednesday morning, when Kyle Petty took some time to meet fans, take pictures, and sign autographs.

It's all a part of a promotional effort with Kroger and Coke to sell race tickets to the Pep Boys 500 in Georgia.

So why promote a Georgia race in Virginia? It happens to be the same weekend the Hokies take on Alabama in Atlanta.

"It's a great way to promote it. If you are down there to see the football, why not stay for the race. If you are there for the race, why not see the football, you can look at it that way too," Petty said.

Kyle also took time to talk about many other topics, including his recent Twitter experiences. He tells us it is a great way to keep fans posted on what's he is doing from day to day.

"As soon as I got here to Kroger, a lady and her grandson came up to me and gave me a 45 dollar check for the Victory Junction Gang Camp, because they said they had seen on Twitter that I was going to be here," Kyle said.

According to his Twitter account, he also had lunch at Blue 5 in Roanoke.

Kyle has no plans to get back on the track this season, but does hope to race some in 2010.