Today, IndyCar driver Graham Rahal and eBay announced they are partnering to host an online charity auction in honor of Verizon IndyCar Series driver Justin Wilson, who passed away last month. The auction will benefit his family, specifically his two young daughters, Jane, seven, and Jessica, five.
Bidding begins on Monday, September 14, at 6:00 p.m. PT and will close on Monday, October 26, at 6:00 p.m. PT. Throughout the six weeks, there will be six waves of auctions for fans to bid on helmets from IndyCar drivers, among other racing memorabilia. 100% of the net proceeds will be donated to the Wilson Children’s Fund. The fund has been set-up to ensure that Wilson’s daughters are able to achieve the many dreams their father had for them.
A link to the eBay auction is available at: http://stores.ebay.com/Celebrity-Charity-Auctions/Justin-Wilson-Memorial and via Auction Cause, the agency managing the sale, at: www.auctioncause.com. Additionally, fans can donate directly to the Wilson family fund at: http://justinwilson.co.uk/donate.
“Justin was not just an incredible driver, he was an incredible person, teammate and friend. Through this auction, I hope we can raise as much money as possible to help provide for his wife, Jane and Jessica,” said Graham Rahal, IndyCar Series driver for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Both inside and outside of the race car, Wilson was one of the most respected competitors in the Verizon IndyCar Series. Beyond his standout Formula 1 and IndyCar racing career, his talent was matched by his well-respected and genuine character. The racing community has quickly rallied behind the family of the late race car driver, along with fans, drivers, and other motorsports figures domestically and globally to create this one-of-a-kind eBay Giving Works auction. Among the items already offered up for auction are:
- More than 16 helmets from IndyCar drivers who competed in the 2015 IndyCar Series season finale at the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma, including winner and 2015 champion Scott Dixon’s helmet
- Memorabilia from IndyCar, Formula 1, NASCAR, USCC, WEC, GRC and other series
- Stefan Johansson’s limited edition watch
- Signed helmet from racing legend Mario Andretti
- Roger Daltrey-signed microphone, which was used when The Who played Glastonbury in 2015
“Our goal is for fans to be able to connect and show their support for the late Justin Wilson through this unique eBay Giving Works auction,” said Jay Hanson, vice president of vertical experiences, eBay. “We’re pleased to be partnering with Graham Rahal and Auction Cause to help support the Justin Wilson Children’s Fund and hope this inspires charitable giving at scale.”
"We’re thrilled to partner with eBay and Auction Cause again,” said Rahal. “We have received incredible support from the entire IndyCar Series community, and drivers and teams from all over the world, including Formula One, NASCAR, IMSA, WEC, NHRA and V8 Supercars. I encourage everyone to spread the word so that we can honor Justin by supporting the one thing that meant the most to him -- his family."
In addition to Wilson’s two young daughters, Jane and Jessica; he is survived by his wife Julia, parents Keith and Lynne, and his brother Stefan, who is also an accomplished IndyCar driver.
ABOUT JUSTIN WILSON
A native of Sheffield, England, Wilson recorded seven career Indy car victories -- the most recent in 2012 at Texas Motor Speedway -- and eight pole starts in 174 races. He totaled 711 career laps led, including two in the Aug. 23 race. He competed in Formula One in 2003 with Minardi and Jaguar, and his initial F1 points were scored that year in the U.S. Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. He co-drove a Michael Shank Racing sports car entry to the overall victory in the 50th anniversary Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2012. Wilson, a road cycling and mountain biking enthusiast, also was an ambassador for dyslexia, a learning disorder characterized by difficulty reading that challenged him as a youth. Wilson was from a humble background with dreams of competing in the highest level of motorsports. He often would speak to groups at the racetrack and visit schools near INDYCAR race venues. Wilson passed away at the age of 37, after succumbing to injuries sustained when he was hit by debris from a single-car crash at Pocono Raceway on August 23, 2015. Wilson continued to giveback posthumously through organ donation that prolonged the quality of life for six other recipients.
ABOUT THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
The Verizon IndyCar Series is the premier open-wheel series in North America, competing on a challenging combination of superspeedways, short ovals, permanent road courses and temporary street circuits. The Verizon IndyCar Series conducts races in the United States and Canada – all available in high-definition worldwide through comprehensive, long-term agreements with ABC, NBCSN, ESPN International, Rodgers Sportsnet and TV Bandeirantes. The Verizon IndyCar Series continues to be the fastest, most diverse and most competitive racing series that features an international cast of star drivers and venues. For more information about the Verizon IndyCar Series, visit www.indycar.com.
Seen in the image above: Justin Wilson - son, brother, husband, father, friend, racer -- Ashleigh Mower, c/o Wilson Children’s Fund.
MANY WAYS TO PARTICIPATE
To donate:
Wilson Children’s Fund – U.S.
c/o Forum Credit union
P.O. Box 50738
Indianapolis, IN 46250-0738
(317)558-6000
For more ways to supports the Wilson Children’s Fund, please visit: http://justinwilson.co.uk/donate.
http://justinwilson.co.uk/donate
MEDIA CONTACTS
Kari Ramirez
eBay
Jennifer Lee
Airfoil, on behalf of eBay
ebaymotorsprteam@airfoilgroup.com
mailto:evangelista@airfoilgroup.com
Kathi Lauterbach
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Eric Gazin
Auction Cause
Matt Cleary
c/o Wilson Children’s Fund