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| The ’11 Ford Mustang GT sold for $100,000 at the Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Show and Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, to benefit the Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp children's charities. |
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| Actor Tim Allen (left), auctioneer (center) and Craig Jackson, chairman/CEO of Barrett-Jackson (right). |
Introduced at the 2010 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the WD-40/SEMA Cares Mustang was auctioned off for $100,000 at the 40th annual Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Show and Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Saturday, January 22, to benefit the Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp children’s charities.
John and Jeanette Stallupi had the winning bid and will feature the vehicle in the Cars of Dreams Museum in Palm Beach, Florida.
Through the generosity of other car enthusiasts in attendance, an additional $125,000 was raised for the two charities via cash donations that will support their individual missions to change the lives of children in need.
“We’re pleased that WD-40 chose to sell the WD-40/SEMA Cares ’11 Ford Mustang custom coupe at our 40th Anniversary Scottsdale auction,” noted Craig Jackson, chairman/CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “The $100,000 sale of this custom pony car benefitted two notable charities, including Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp. The car generated tremendous buzz among five bidders who each donated $10,000 on top of the $100,000 sale, including Tim Allen and Reggie Jackson, bringing the total number raised for both charities to $150,000. The sale of this car was part of the more than $4 million we were able to raise for charity during our event.”
Before being auctioned, the car was “detailed” on-site with signatures from celebrity supporters Reggie Jackson, Rick Hendrick and Tim Allen.
“We are overwhelmed and completely surprised with the results of the WD-40/SEMA Cares Mustang that was auctioned at Barrett-Jackson,” said Mike Spagnola, president of Street Scene Equipment and SEMA Board member. “In addition to the $100,000 sale, several celebrities stepped up to donate money to the auction. While the money is still coming in, we anticipate the total from the auction to exceed $200,000, which is absolutely incredible. I am eternally grateful to Craig Jackson and the staff at Barrett-Jackson for their help with the auction, as well as the management staff at WD-40.”
The ’11 Ford Mustang GT, rebuilt with high-performance aftermarket parts and a 5.0L V8 engine, produces nearly 600hp, features a custom body kit and interior, entertainment system and paint that emulates the WD-40 brand. Build partners included Street Scene Equipment, Paxton Superchargers, Stillen AP, MagnaFlow, Forgeline, Advanced Clutch Technology, Katzkin Leather, Hotchkis, Polk Audio, California Pony Car, Nitto Tire, PPG, Grant and GTR.
This is the second consecutive year WD-40 Company has partnered with SEMA Cares to build a custom vehicle for charity. Last year, the WD-40/SEMA Cares Camaro sold for $75,000 and benefited Childhelp and Victory Junction Gang Camp. A virtual version of this year’s Mustang was concurrently sold in Nitto 1320 Legends, an online racing game and social network with more than 1.5 million members, and raised $10,800 for the same charities.
“We wanted to partner with some of the best in the business to build a vehicle that helps support worthwhile causes and honors those who use WD-40,” said Tim Lesmeister, vice president of marketing for WD-40 Company. “While we’re sad to finally have to say goodbye, we’ve accomplished what we set out to do and have created many positive lasting memories in the process.”