Marcos Ambrose Special Helmet Auctioned For Charity
May 30, 2008
Bam Media
Australian NASCAR driver Marcos Ambrose is auctioning a special piece of motorsport history over the next two weeks.
Last weekend Ambrose raced his Kingsford Ford Fusion in a special car design and in a one-off helmet created by 8-year-old Gaige Bolser from Stanfield, North Carolina.
Gaige has a rare non-Hidgkin’s Lymphoma called Burkitt Lymphoma and was diagnosed in August last year.
He was recently receiving treatment at the Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina when he had the chance to participate in a competition to design Ambrose’s car and helmet for last Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Carquest 300 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Not only was Gaige’s design selected, he had his face emblazoned on the side of the car and was a special guest of the Kingsford team prior to the race.
Bolser participated with Ambrose in pre-race driver introductions and did a lap around the track with his new favorite driver to wave to the fans.
As part of the promotion, Kingsford and Rite Aid Pharmacy donated $US15,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network. The Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals across North America. Each year the 170 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals provide the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind.
Levine Children’s Hospital is located in Charlotte, North Carolina and is a member of the CMN.
Ambrose is hoping to take that figure way over the $US20,000 mark by auctioning the helmet on his website.
An Australian fan on Ambrose’s second sell out NASCAR tour to Charlotte last week has already opened the bidding at $US5,000 after hearing of the auction plans.
“The whole experience with Gaige Bolser and the Levine Children’s Hospital was amazing,” said Ambrose.
“When you see the fighting spirit of these tough little guys, it makes any troubles you have seem insignificant.”
“Hopefully we can have fans fighting over this helmet because the money is going to a fantastic cause.”
The helmet incorporates Gaige’s handprint, Kingsford flames and a green ribbon for lymphoma awareness.
The Auction will end on Monday June 9 at Midnight US Eastern time (2:00pm on Tuesday June 10 Australian Eastern Stardard Time).
