SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions®, raised close to $1 million for local and national charities during its Palm Beach auction April 17-19, 2015, at the South Florida Fairgrounds. On Saturday, WWE Hall of Fame member Hulk Hogan took center stage and, in true “Hulkamania” fashion, ripped the shirt off his back to help Barrett-Jackson raise much-needed funds for U.S. veterans, children, cancer patients and others across the country. A few generous, philanthropic car dealers combined to raise $400,000 for the Achilles Freedom Team. David Flynn purchased the 2015 Chevrolet Camaro COPO Race Car VIN #001 for $300,000 followed by an additional $100,000 pledge from Jeanette and John Staluppi.
“I appreciate the opportunity to host people at our auctions who leverage their celebrity status to bring greater awareness to the needs of charitable organizations,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “It was exciting to have Hulk Hogan, a legend, join us on stage to help auction that ’69 Camaro Z/28. He used his contagious charisma to help energize the crowd in a way that only he can. With Hogan’s help we raised $150,000 to benefit Connor’s Cure, A HERO Foundation and The Grace Project.”
WWE Hall of Fame member Hulk Hogan is one of the most popular wrestlers of all time. He is a 12-time world champion, being a six-time WWF/E (World Heavyweight) Champion and six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion.
In total, five cars and one boat crossed the block in Palm Beach to support charity, which included:
- 2015 Chevrolet Camaro COPO Race Car VIN #001 (Lot #3003) - Raised $400,000 to benefit the Achilles Freedom Team with a $300,000 sale and an additional $100,000 pledge
- 2016 Cadillac CT6 Sedan (Lot #3001) – Sold for $200,000 to benefit the Karmanos Cancer Institute
- 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Custom (Lot #3003.1) - Hammered in for $150,000 to benefit Connor’s Cure, A HERO Foundation and The Grace Project
- 2015 Bennington 2375 GCW (Lot #3004) - Sold for $100,000 to benefit the Foundation for Exceptional Warriors (FEW)
- A one-of-a-kind Tony Stewart “Smoke” Edition 1969 Chevelle (Lot #3000) - Raised $75,000 to benefit The Darrell Gwynn Foundation
- 1996 GMC Sierra Custom Pickup (Lot #3002) - Sold for $41,000 to help send underprivileged boys to a Boy Scouts of America summer camp
“Every Barrett-Jackson auction brings with it an opportunity to improve the lives of deserving individuals and organizations through the sale of charity cars,” said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “We truly appreciate the consignors who donate their vehicles and the bidders who bid from their heart. I’m confident that some wonderful opportunities will open up for those in need with the nearly $1 million in charity auction sales in Palm Beach.”
Other well known personalities in attendance during the Palm Beach auction included world-renowned car collectors, Jeanette and John Staluppi. Their car collection is maintained in the Cars of Dreams Museum located in Palm Beach County, Florida. American rapper, actor and television host Vanilla Ice attended Friday night’s opening gala.
Video highlights of the charity auctions in Palm Beach are available here.
The next Barrett-Jackson auction will be the 3rd Annual Hot August Nights Auction, to be held Aug. 6-8, 2015, at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. Coverage of the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Reno will be broadcast in live, high-definition TV on Velocity and Discovery.
For more information on becoming a bidder, follow the link to http://www.Barrett-Jackson.com/Bidder/Home.
About The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company
Established in 1971 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions®, is the leader in collector car auctions and automotive lifestyle events. The company produces auctions in Scottsdale, Arizona; Palm Beach, Florida; Reno-Tahoe, Nevada; and Las Vegas, Nevada. With broadcast partners Velocity and Discovery Channel, Barrett-Jackson will feature 100 hours of live television coverage in 2015, including broadcasts in over 100 countries internationally. Barrett-Jackson also endorses a one-of-a-kind collector car insurance for collector vehicles and other valued belongings. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit http://www.Barrett-Jackson.com, or call 480-421-6694.
For high resolution photos please contact Aaron Cook at ACook@TPRM.com
