Graham Rahal has a lofty goal for an online auction to raise money for Justin Wilson’s family – bring in $1 million to the Wilson Children’s Fund.
The eBay auction is live through Oct. 26. Click HERE for details.
Rahal's helmet from the season-ending GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma recently pre-sold for $50,000, while the helmet of Wilson’s Andretti Autosport teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay pre-sold for $24,000 at a charity event during the race weekend.
The $74,000 from two helmets is a strong start toward Rahal’s million-dollar goal, and the hope is that the sale of other race-used helmets from Verizon IndyCar Series drivers -- including those used by series champion Scott Dixon, Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya among others -- could bring as much, if not more, money to the cause. Wilson died Aug. 24 from a head injury sustained in a race the day before.
As Rahal did following the death of fellow Verizon IndyCar Series driver Dan Wheldon in 2011, he has partnered with eBay and large online auction facilitators Auction Cause to conduct the online auction of all memorabilia with proceeds going directly to the Wilson Children’s Fund.
Items signed by legends such as Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt were donated and teams and drivers throughout the racing world have pledged items as well. A one-of-a-kind original painting of Wilson's car by artist Bill Patterson (below) will also be made available.
"There will be items up for auction you simply cannot buy or get access to anywhere else,” Rahal said.
Through eBay's direct involvement, all transaction fees will be waived and all proceeds will be deposited straight into the Wilson Children's Fund, which benefits Wilson’s wife Julia and daughters Jane and Jessica. Fans who sell their own Wilson-related items on eBay can designate the Graham Rahal Foundation as their chosen charity and proceeds will be donated to the fund as well.
Those wishing to contribute to the fund established electronically can do so HERE or via mail to:
Wilson Children’s Fund
c/o Forum Credit Union
PO Box 50738
Indianapolis, IN 46250-0738