• Local, State and Nat'l News

Barrett-Jackson to Auction Seven Charity Vehicles at Inaugural Las Vegas Event

The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company will sell seven vehicles at No Reserve to benefit various charities during its inaugural Collector Car Event in Las Vegas Oct. 16-18, 2008, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The world leader in automotive auctions has been an advocate for charitable causes since its inception in 1971. In 2008 alone, Barrett-Jackson has already helped raise a combined $6.1 million for charities during the Scottsdale, Ariz., and Palm Beach, Fla., events.

“Helping others is a key part of what we do at Barrett-Jackson,” said Craig Jackson, Chairman/CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “My father Russ Jackson and his partner Tom Barrett were ingrained in local Scottsdale charities when Barrett-Jackson was founded nearly 40 years ago. I’m proud to keep that legacy alive today as we work with our sponsors and customers to help change lives both locally and nationally.”

Crossing the block on Saturday, Oct. 18 during SPEED’s primetime TV coverage of the Las Vegas event will be a 2008 Barrett-Jackson Edition Shelby GT (Lot #819.1). All proceeds from the sale of the rare pony car, which is No. 8 of 100 produced, will benefit The Lili Claire Foundation (www.liliclairefoundation.org), which was founded to enhance the lives of children living with neurogenetic conditions. Donated by Gary Ackerman, president of Gaudin Automotive Group, the Barrett-Jackson Shelby features a “Barrett-Jackson Red” and black paint scheme, Barrett-Jackson Edition doorsill plates and a special Barrett-Jackson gas cap insert. The interior of the car was signed by the host and judges of the hit TV show “American Idol.”

Two exclusive race cars will cross the Barrett-Jackson block to support charities, including Kurt Busch’s No. 2 Dodge Charger (Lot #163) that competed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March 2007. All proceeds from the sale of the blue NASCAR, which has been autographed by Kurt Busch, Roger Penske and Pat Tryson, will benefit The Kurt Busch Foundation, which supports the Victory Junction Gang Camp (www.victoryjunction.org) in North Carolina. Kurt Busch will be present in Las Vegas on Thursday, Oct. 16, for the sale of the car. Also, ten percent of the winning bid for Carroll Shelby’s first race car, a 1949 MG TC (Lot #819), will be donated to one of Mr. Shelby’s charities. The automotive icon piloted the British racer to victory in 1952.

“It’s been an incredible year for charity sales and donations at Barrett-Jackson,” said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “We raised more than $5 million in Scottsdale and followed that up with more than $1 million in Palm Beach. With special vehicles like the Barrett-Jackson Shelby and Kurt Busch’s NASCAR, we look to add to this amazing total in Las Vegas.”

A pair of custom show cars from the Ford Motor Company stable will also be sold for charities. A 2006 Mercury Volga Milan (Lot #509) will be auctioned to support the National Multiple Scleroses Society (www.nationalmssociety.org). The Volga Milan was built by Ford for a Miami Fashion Week promotion in 2006 and showcased by actress Rosalyn Sanchez of “Without a Trace” and “The Game Plan.”

Hip hop DJ and custom car aficionado Funkmaster Flex will sell his 2006 Ford Mustang GT custom (Lot #774.4) for charity. The Mustang is loaded with one-off modifications and was featured on Funkmaster Flex’s ESPN2 reality TV show, “Car Wars with Funkmaster Flex.” All proceeds from the sale of Funkmaster Flex’s Mustang will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (www.jdrf.org).

Longtime Barrett-Jackson partner, The Darrell Gwynn Foundation (www.darrellgwynnfoundation.org), will benefit from the sale of a 2007 Lincoln MKZ DUB Edition custom show car (Lot #204). The one-off DUB MKZ features 22-inch Pirelli tires, custom grey suede and leather interior trim with embroidered DUB Edition logos and 7-inch TV screens built into the headrests. The Darrell Gwynn Foundation will also present Mason Partee of Las Vegas with a new motorized wheelchair during the auction. The 15-year-old suffers from cerebral palsy and will use the gift to move around more easily and comfortably.

In addition, a 2007 Harley Davidson Road King motorcycle (Lot #160) will be sold to support Fisher House (www.fisherhouse.org), which helps military families in times of need. The bike was staged in the entryway of two Palms Restaurants in Los Angeles, where it was signed by over 50 celebrities and professional athletes, including Jay Leno and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Bidders interested in attending the auction can visit www.barrett-jackson.com/events/lasvegas/bidders or call 480-421-6694. Barrett-Jackson bidders receive one bidder paddle and one guest credential valid all days of the event, a preferred parking pass, access to the bidder seating area and hosted bidder bar, two invitations to the Opening Night Party on Oct. 15 and an event catalog.

Starting on Oct. 16, gates will open at 8 a.m., with the automobilia auction commencing at 9 a.m. daily and the collector car auction beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing until the evening.

General admission tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster at www.barrett-jackson.com and will be sold at the event. Adult tickets are $15 per day for Thursday and Friday and $20 for Saturday; three day passes are available for $40 and discount tickets are available for Seniors, Students and Military with ID and Children.